A Lake County judge on Monday sentenced 23-year-old Arianna Selina Gajraj to 36 months in prison after she admitted helping set up an ambush in Clermont that left a man’s car riddled with bullets but its driver unharmed. Gajraj pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and with 602 days in custody credited, she has less than a year and a half left to serve. Investigators later combed the shooting scene on Peppermill Trail and recovered dozens of shell casings.
Lake County Circuit Judge Cary F. Rada imposed the 36-month term following Gajraj’s guilty plea, according to Tampa Free Press. The outlet reports that the 602 days of credit for time already served trimmed her remaining sentence to under 18 months. The same report notes that Gajraj’s boyfriend, Brandon Pirela, was found guilty by a jury in January and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7.
How Deputies Say The Late-Night Ambush Went Down
According to WFTV, deputies say the victim picked up Gajraj and parked on Peppermill Trail just before 2 a.m. A white Toyota Camry then pulled up, blocking the vehicle, and a masked gunman stepped out and opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun. Investigators later recovered 21 spent 9mm casings and counted 13 projectile strikes on the victim’s car.
The driver managed to throw the car in reverse and speed away, making it to the Clermont Police Department, where he reported the shooting. Despite the barrage of gunfire, authorities say he was not physically hurt.
Digital Breadcrumbs And Cameras Tie Couple To Attack
Investigators say cellphone data, social media messages, and a Pinger account revealed the couple plotting the ambush, while license-plate readers and surveillance video linked the white Camry to an Orlando address, according to FOX 35 Orlando. Court records reviewed by reporters show Gajraj suggested that Pirela call the victim from a blocked number to gain his trust, and that she sent a final location pin about 12 minutes before the first shots were fired.
Prosecutors say those messages undercut Gajraj’s initial claim that she did not see the shooter.
What Comes Next In The Case
Per court filings and local reporting, Gajraj pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and will serve the sentence handed down by Judge Rada with credit for time already served. Her boyfriend, Brandon Pirela, remains in jail awaiting his April 7 sentencing after a jury convicted him in January, Tampa Free Press reports.
Authorities say the victim walked away unharmed, and the case has become another example of how digital evidence and cameras can map out alleged murder plots almost minute by minute.
