Lafayette, LA – A Jeanerette man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison following a guilty plea to manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a February 2020 drive-by shooting that left an eight-year-old child dead.
Jonas Hawk, 31, of Jeanerette, was sentenced Wednesday after admitting to firing rounds into a group of people outside a home on North Neco Town Road. The incident, which occurred on February 17, 2020, resulted in the death of Jamal Robinson, an innocent child who was the only person injured in the shooting.
According to the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hawk shot into the group from a moving vehicle, striking Robinson. Despite the tragic circumstances, authorities confirmed that Robinson was the sole victim of the gunfire.
Hawk, who had a criminal history, was prohibited from possessing a firearm at the time of the shooting due to previous convictions. He was on probation for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and had a prior conviction for aggravated flight from an officer. These violations contributed to the severity of the charges against him.
In a plea agreement, Hawk pleaded guilty to both manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm. District Attorney M. Michael Haik III confirmed that Hawk was sentenced to the maximum for both charges—40 years at hard labor for manslaughter, and 20 years at hard labor for firearm possession, with both sentences to run consecutively.
The 60-year sentence, which will be served without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, was handed down by Judge Anthony J. Hedges.
Prosecutors Ashley Hammons and Brady Holtzclaw praised the efforts of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with the Jeanerette Police Department, the Jeanerette Marshal’s Office, and the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory, for their role in investigating the crime and bringing Hawk to justice.
The case was initially set for a jury trial on April 28, 2025, but Hawk’s decision to plead guilty avoided the need for a trial. The plea agreement brings closure to a case that has left the community mourning the loss of a young life and seeking justice for the senseless act of violence.
Jamal Robinson’s family, devastated by his death, has expressed their grief over the tragic loss, while local residents have reflected on the profound impact the incident has had on the community.
This case underscores the serious consequences of firearm-related violence and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, particularly when they lead to the loss of innocent life.