Judge Cuts Yarbrough Sentence to 20 Years
Pierce County Superior Court reduced the 724-month sentence of Verrick Vere Yarbrough, convicted in a 2006 Tacoma shooting that killed one person.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Criminal Justice
Pierce County Superior Court reduced Verrick Vere Yarbrough's sentence from 724 months to 20 years. Yarbrough was found guilty in June 2007 of first-degree murder, first-degree assault with a firearm, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Why it matters
The resentencing revisits a case in which the defendant was 17 at the time of the shooting, and the defense argued his age was not properly weighed under Washington state law changes for juvenile sentencing. The decision affects how youthful offenders from the Tacoma area may be sentenced for serious crimes committed decades ago.
Yarbrough will be returned to the Department of Corrections, and an official release date will be determined. He has served at least 19 years of the reduced sentence and has received 27 serious infractions while incarcerated.
The players
Verrick Vere Yarbrough
The defendant, now 37, who was sentenced as a 17-year-old for a fatal 2006 shooting outside a Tacoma dance club.
Pierce County Superior Court
The Washington state trial court that presided over Yarbrough's original sentencing and the recent resentencing hearing.
The details
Yarbrough was 17 when he was involved in a shooting outside Club Friday, an underage dance club in Tacoma, in 2006. The shooting followed a dispute between two known gangs in the area, killed Rhaczio Simms, and injured two other victims. Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed the sentence should be reduced but disagreed on how much, with prosecutors recommending 30 years.
Timeline
2006: Shooting outside Club Friday in Tacoma.
June 2007: Yarbrough found guilty and originally sentenced to 724 months.
January: Yarbrough failed a drug test while incarcerated.
Friday: Resentencing hearing reduced his sentence to 20 years.
Legal Context
The resentencing reflects Washington's evolving approach to sentencing youthful offenders, which the defense argues should have shaped Yarbrough's 2007 sentence. The case shows how changes in state juvenile sentencing law can reopen decades-old prison terms.
The reduced sentence means Yarbrough will return to the Department of Corrections before a release date is set, which could affect public safety and local victims' families in Tacoma. Residents following the case can track future Department of Corrections decisions on his release.
The takeaway
Sentencing decisions for offenses committed by minors can be revisited as the law on juvenile sentencing changes. Readers following similar cases should watch for resentencing hearings and the reasons courts give for adjusting terms.
Further reading
For more on how courts handle sentencing and appeals in this area, see Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOMO.
