Man gets 15 years in prison for Christmas 2014 death of Palmetto High student Kyle O'Halloran

BRADENTON -- Roberto Betancourt was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for killing Palmetto High School student and football player Kyle O'Halloran.

On Dec. 25, 2014, O'Halloran, then 18, was outside his home in the 1900 block of 24th Avenue West in Palmetto when Betancourt drove up in a Lincoln Town Car.

O'Halloran approached the vehicle and handed Betancourt a bag of marijuana. After the bag was passed around to two passengers, Betancourt drove off without paying.

O'Halloran leaned into the vehicle and held on as it tried to leave his driveway, eventually falling to the street a few houses down and suffering a fatal head injury.

Roberto Betancourt, 21, was charged with manslaughter with a weapon, leaving the scene of a crash with death, driving without a license and causing death or serious bodily injury. He pleaded no contest to the charges in November.

The courtroom was filled with family members of both men. Most of victim's family wore orange T-shirts with O'Halloran's name and football jersey number.

"There is nothing good about the sale and purchase of drugs," Circuit Judge Diana Moreland said before announcing the sentence. "Inevitably it ends up with horrific things happening to families."

The families were not to blame, Moreland said.

"You can only hold their hand so long," Moreland said. "It was a decision that two human beings decided on that day, to make stupid, stupid decisions."

Moreland sentenced Betancourt to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years probation. She ordered he have no contact with the victim's family and undergo a drug evaluation and any necessary drug treatment.

O'Halloran's younger sister, Karissa O'Halloran, told Moreland her brother died with her air in his lungs.

"Kyle was a good man," Karissa said while sobbing. "He was a good man and he didn't deserve this."

The victim's mother, Leann O'Halloran, also gave a tearful testimony.

"My son had a heart of gold, my everything," she said. "The day he died, I died out there with him."

She went on to talk about how she and her family have dealt with depression.

"I have nothing but a picture to show my granddaughter her father," she said through sobs. "This is just a senseless act that has changed not just my life but so many others."

Betancourt took the stand briefly.

"I am deeply sorry for what happened and forgive me for the choices I made," Betancourt said. "I had no intention to hurt anyone."

During the cross-examination, Assistant State Attorney Candice Bartholomew asked Betancourt if it had been his intent not to pay for the marijuana.

Yes, Betancourt said.

"So your plan was to go steal from him," Bartholomew asked.

Again, he agreed.

Throughout questioning, Betancourt admitted he saw O'Halloran fall but never stopped. Instead, he kept driving for three hours and didn't reach out to law enforcement.

At the time, Betancourt was out on bond for a DUI charge and should not have been driving.

"My heart goes out to everyone who was touched by this case," Moreland said in the end.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Man gets 15 years in prison for Christmas 2014 death of Palmetto High student Kyle O'Halloran ."