In a federal courthouse in Florida, Janet Williams, a 44-year-old woman from Brooksville, has entered a plea of guilty to charges of making false statements to federal agents. The charges stem from an investigation into a grim tale that began with the arrest of her son, Sheldon Robinson, for the murder of a local teenager, identified only as I.S. Williams now faces up to fifteen years in prison, with the sentence for each count carrying a potential five-year term, according to a press release from the United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg. However, a date for her sentencing has not yet been determined.
Williams was brought into the fray when, on February 8, 2023, her son was taken into custody in connection with the shocking murder of the 17-year-old Hernando County High School student. Court documents reveal that Williams discovered $6,000 hidden within her home, money which was purportedly payment for the heinous act committed by Robinson. In subsequent interviews with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosibles and local detectives, Williams denied any knowledge of the found measures or its connection to her son. But the truth unraveled in a taped conversation she had with Robinson, stating, "They were asking me...did you come into a whole bunch of money? I said No. But, you did come into a whole bunch of money."
The case took a turn on September 20, 2023, when Williams was caught in a web of contradictions. As federal agents were executing a search warrant at her residence, she insisted that she had never come across any money that belonged to Robinson and was also unaware of her son possessing firearms. Yet, a search of her phone painted a starkly different picture, uncovering numerous photos of Robinson with firearms, contradicting her statements to the federal agents, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
While her son Sheldon Robinson yet awaits his day in court, Williams's plea represents a turning point in an investigation that has involved multiple agencies, including the ATF and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office (Fifth Judicial Circuit). Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes is at the helm of the prosecution, working to piece together the fragments of a case marred by violence and deception.
