Another Sentenced in Teen Shooting Case

A man who participated in events surrounding the shooting death of a Salina South high School student back in May of 2015 was sentenced Friday morning in Saline County District Court.

Judge Rene Young sentenced 20-year-old Daniel Sims to a total of 50 months in prison, or a little over 4 years in prison.

Sims previously pled to charges that include Involuntary Manslaughter and Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery. He also cooperated with police, and testified against other co-defendants in the case.

Sims was sentenced to:

44 months for Involuntary Manslaughter
6 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

The sentences will be served consecutively, meaning that he will serve 50 months. Sims, who has been in jail since early May of 2015, will be given credit for time served

Saline County Attorney Ellen Mitchell said that the sentence was a fair balance between Sims’s involvement, and what happened.

The case involved the death of 17-year-old Allie Saum.

Prior to the sentencing Allie Saum’s aunt Jennifer Stevens spoke. She said that nothing will bring Allie back, but also spoke about forgiveness. She referenced bible scripture. Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Judge Rene Young told Sims that she hopes while in prison he matures and reflects on the choices he made. She said that hopefully he will not make similar choices when he gets out, and instead becomes a productive member of society. The judge also encouraged Sims, who said that he left school after the 10th grade, to obtain his GED while in prison.

Two other men in the case were found guilty following trials, and two others also have reached plea agreements.

23-year-old Maceo Palacio, the man who fired the fatal shot, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years for First Degree Murder conviction . Palacio was also sentenced for other crimes, including:

234 months for Attempted First Degree Murder
59 months for Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle
6 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

20-year-old Stephen Gentry was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for a First Degree Murder conviction. Gentry was the instigator in a plot to seek revenge, after being punched in a previous incident. He gathered a group of people together, ultimately misdentified a truck, and instructed Palacio to fire shots at it. Gentry was also sentenced for other crimes including:

253 months for Attempted First Degree Murder
59 months for Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle
6 months for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

20-year-old Jerome Forbes pled no contest to three charges. The charges include:

Involuntary Manslaughter
Felony Obstruction
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Battery

18-year-old Andrew Woodring pled no contest to felony murder.

Allie Saum was shot and killed on May 6th, 2015. Shots were fired at a truck as it drove eastbound in the 500 block of Russell.

The truck was misidentified as being connected to an earlier altercation. Saum was a passenger in the truck, and was hit by one of five shots that were fired.