An Oklahoma judge sentenced a 16-year-old boy to more than 50 years in prison for shooting a 5-year-old Tulsa girl during a drive-by shooting, having guns, drugs and stealing cars.
Noah Ney was charged as an adult with the 2022 shooting, but just last month while in custody, prosecutors say he escaped from the juvenile justice center by jumping the rec yard fence. He was captured days later.
Prosecutors say Ney shot the little girl during a drive-by shooting that was part of a gang initiation. Prosecutors say Ney is dangerous, and Tulsa is safer with him going to prison. A woman who testified to defend Ney said in court that Ney is dangerous.
Prosecutors say the 5-year-old girl was playing outside in April of 2022 when Ney drove by in a stolen car and fired shots, hitting the little girl in the neck and shoulder.
Prosecutors spent very little time talking about that shooting during the sentencing hearing and instead highlighted the several interactions Ney has had with law enforcement in the last few years, including robberies, gun charges, and drugs.
Prosecutors say Ney has a box full of incident reports from his time in the juvenile justice center, where he’s accused of flooding his cell and assaulting staff members, throwing cups of water in jail staff members’ faces, smearing feces on the walls of his cell and more. Prosecutors showed social media pictures and videos of Ney holding guns and flashing gang signs.
Ney’s attorney argued Ney’s behavior is a result of his parents and argued Ney hasn’t been given all the treatment options available. Ney’s father has been in and out of prison, and Ney’s mom testified that she blames herself for her son’s behavior. Ney’s aunt testified Ney had been neglected his whole life but says she saw some progress when he lived with her and her husband for a year. She said if Ney was allowed to stay with her, she doesn’t think he’d be in trouble like he is.
“He had several opportunities. I have treatment records in a packet that is thicker than a dictionary that show treatment attempts that he rejected, by escaping or assaulting staff that was there to help him get treatment,” said Assistant Tulsa County District Attorney Morgan Medders.
The judge told Ney there will be a judicial review of his sentence in five years and if he proves to the judge that he’s changed and can be a productive member of society, she could reduce his sentence.
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