Shamiekka Ford, the Kissimmee drug dealer found guilty of stabbing to death a man over drug money in September 2011, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison.

Ford

Her defense will appeal the sentence in the second-degree murder of Alberto Rivera-Montanez, who was stabbed in the early morning hours of Sept. 30 outside the Apollo Inn, 670 E. Vine St. over $200 he owed Ford for crack cocaine. He died soon after a motorist watched him collapse in the middle of the street in front of the 192 Latino Buffet. She was convicted on Nov. 27.

Prosecutor Brad Fisher said the state recommended a 30-year sentence for Ford, 33, known on the streets as “Candy” or “Gucci”, as her lengthy history of violent crime qualified her for sentencing under Florida’s guidelines as a habitual violent felony offender.

Ford’s defense team disagreed, stating the prior arrests came as a juvenile offender, but Ninth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jon B. Morgan sided with the state because she was tried as an adult in those cases.

“I suspect you didn’t mean to kill Mr. Rivera-Montanez, but this is a terrible offense and an act of reckless disregard for life,” Morgan said. “No sentence can bring back the victim.”

Ford showed not emotion after her sentence was handed down.

Rivera-Montanez’s family attended the hearing and asked Morgan to impose a long sentence. Tamara Montanez, the victim’s mother, suggested a sentence of 36 years, one year for every year of her son’s life. She said, despite Rivera-Montanez’s drug problem, the loss of her son created a void that the family will never be able to fill.”

“I ‘m not the person I used to be for this. I stopped caring for …” she said, pausing a moment before continuing, “… anything.

“He was left for dead on the side of the road. There were no goodbyes. It is hard to move forward when you feel like one of us has been left behind.”

Ford briefly addressed the court before Morgan handed down his sentence.

“My heart goes out to the family of the victim. I pray they find comfort in their time of need,” she said.

Failing the defense’s appeal, this will be Ford’s second trip to prison. She was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for her part in a 1997 armed robbery in a Kissimmee apartment. She served her sentence and a probation period for that offense prior to the stabbing of Rivera-Montanez.