Clermont, Florida – A Lake County man will spend the next 25 years in prison after firing more than 20 shots at a victim in a targeted ambush, prosecutors said, bringing a violent 2023 case to a close.
According to the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, 26-year-old Brandon Pirela was convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and conspiracy following a jury trial earlier this year. Investigators said the shooting happened when the victim was parked inside a vehicle in Clermont, and Pirela, working with a co-defendant, opened fire in a coordinated attack.
Authorities say the victim managed to escape by reversing out of the area and later contacted police. Evidence presented in court included cell phone records and messages showing planning between Pirela and co-defendant Arianna Gajraj, who later testified against him.
Gajraj previously accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to three years in prison followed by six years of probation. Officials said the case involved coordination between the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Clermont Police Department, and state prosecutors.
Pirela has been remanded to the Florida Department of Corrections, concluding a case officials described as a deliberate and premeditated act of violence.
