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Suspected Ringleader Of Broward Grocery Store Attacks Sentenced To Nearly 17 Years

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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The suspected ringleader of a group accused of attacking people after they left grocery stores in Broward County was sentenced on Wednesday.

17-year-old Tarnisha Epps has been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison.

Tranisha Epps MUG
Mugshot for Tranisha Epps. (Source: Broward County Police)

Investigators say she orchestrated the attacks in January.

Epps was joined by Erica Abraham and a male suspect.

In one incident, surveillance video captured a car following a 75-year-old woman home from a Publix Supermarket in Plantation.

Police say Epps, Abraham and the male suspect rear-ended the victim's car, then pepper-sprayed and bear her to steal her car and purse.

The victim spoke exclusively with CBS4 and said she wanted the "maximum sentence" imposed on Epps, despite her age.

"She not only hurt me, she hurt other people," said Sydney, the victim who didn't wish to give her last name. "She took advantage of other people. She and her two associates did this not once, not on a whim. It was planned. It was carried out. They knew what they wanted to do and how they were going to do it."

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