DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park sentenced a defendant to 20 years in prison on Aug. 28 for his involvement in a robbery and fatal shooting.
Trenton Collins, 24, pleaded guilty on March 9 to second-degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Philip Prendergast on March 27, 2024 on the 5100 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. Prendergast died from one shot to his abdomen that fractured his pelvic bone and damaged his small intestines.
According to court documents, another victim was held at gunpoint and robbed, but sustained no injuries.
As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a prison sentence between 13-to-20 years, which Judge Park found appropriate for Collins.
Prendergast’s mother said, “the grief follows me everywhere,” and described her son’s death as “carrying a loss that cannot be measured, repaired, or made sense of.”
“With a smile that lights up every room,” Prendergast’s mother said, “my son has touched so many lives.”
After the victims complied with the robbery, “Mr. Collins made a choice…to end a life,” Prendergast’s mother asserted. “Why couldn’t he just take the money and the goods, and spare my son’s life,” she questioned.
“Before he became a victim in your courthouse, sir, my son was a living, breathing person with a very bright future,” Prendergast’s mother told Judge Park, and asked him to impose the maximum sentence for Collins.
The prosecutor emphasized the numerous heartfelt letters she received from people who cared for Prendergast.
In regards to the surviving victim, the prosecutor asserted that his silence did not indicate indifference, but rather reflected the difficulty he faced by appearing in court.
The prosecutor described Collins’ timeline around the offense as “incredibly troubling.” In 2021, Collins was convicted of carrying a pistol without a license and sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA). The YRA allows sentencing flexibility for offenders under the age of 25 and the potential to have their convictions sealed upon successful completion of requirements.
Within three months of his release in the gun possession case, Collins committed the murder. The prosecutor emphasized that on the morning of the offense, Collins met with his probation officer from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA).
“I hope he is sorry, I hope he regrets what he did,” the prosecutor said. However, “actions are what matter, not words.”
Collins’ attorney, David Akulian, asked for his client to receive a total sentence of 15 years in prison under the YRA. Akuliuan noted there was no evidence that Collins planned to commit the homicide. Collins planned the robbery, said Akulian, but the gunfire was an accident.
According to Akulian, Collins had a “tremendously troubled background” and lived with unmedicated mental health conditions for most of his life, which contributed to the offense.
Collins apologized to Prendergast’s family and his own children and family. “My intention was never for anybody to get hurt,” Collins expressed.
“We are not defined by the worst thing that we do,” Judge Park stated. The judge felt Collins accepted responsibility and expressed remorse in a “genuine and mature way.”
The judge acknowledged that Collins had no intent to kill anyone that day but said the victims complied fully with the demands of their armed assailants. Although it was not played in court, Judge Park referenced video footage from the prosecution as evidence Collins was the shooter between the two suspects.
As a result of the offense’s violent nature and Collins previous sentence under the YRA, Judge Park found the YRA inappropriate in the case and denied Akulian’s request.
Judge Park sentenced Collins to 18 years in prison for murder and two consecutive years for assault, followed by five years of supervised release. Collins will be required to register as a gun offender upon his release.
No further dates were set.
