Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — A man who went on a crime spree across several states has pleaded guilty to shooting a woman and attacking a child during what prosecutors called an "unconscionable" robbery at a West Valley hair salon in 2021.
Derrick Lamone Scott, 29, pleaded guilty Monday to discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and two counts of aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies, plus a reduced charge of child abuse, a third-degree felony, as part of a plea deal. In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and possession of a weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
On Nov. 26, 2021, police say Scott and two women entered the African Braiding Salon and Hair Supply, 3580 S. Redwood Road, and grabbed the shop owner's 13-year-old daughter. Scott pointed a gun at her head and told her to give him money or he would shoot her, according to the charges.
The two women with Scott tried to put zip ties on the teen, but she resisted and tried to take the gun away from Scott. Scott then grabbed the girl and hit her in the head with the gun before she was able to break free and run to the back of the shop where her mother Monica Chayee was.
Scott attempted to shoot Chayee multiple times, but the gun did not go off, charging documents state. After several attempts, he successfully shot Chayee in the chin. Scott then made statements to the girl such as, "Oh, you thought it was a fake gun didn't you?" before again demanding money from the register.
Chayee survived the shooting, but "the bullet that hit her chin traveled down her throat, through her voice box, and lodged on the left side of her carotid artery. Doctors were not able to remove the bullet," according to a statement from the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors say Scott and the two women were "traveling the country committing many other robberies and violent offenses in Georgia, Missouri and Illinois." according to charging documents, and are also wanted for "questioning for a murder incident in another state."
He was sentenced to three consecutive terms of five years to life in prison and a concurrent term of zero to five years in prison. But Scott is on a detainer from Texas and will now be extradited to Texas to face an unrelated homicide charge. If convicted in Texas, he could serve his Utah sentence concurrent with any Texas sentence, a court docket states. Otherwise, he would be sent back to Utah to serve his sentence.
"The defendant's brutal treatment of both Ms. Chayee and her child is unconscionable. While on a cross-country crime spree the defendant committed crimes in our state and has now been convicted and sentenced for them. We hope that this guilty plea will help the survivors start to feel they have achieved some measure of justice for the callous attack on them and their livelihood," District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement.
Christyn Allisyon Grant, 22, is charged with aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated robbery, first-degree felonies, in the case and a warrant was issued for her arrest in 2021.
