A man who was 48 years old when he had sex with a 15-year-old after they snorted cocaine was found guilty Thursday of Lewd and Lascivious Battery, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
John C. Bradly, 49, who was living in Panama City at the time of the Jan. 13 offense, was found guilty by a jury that deliberated for about 20 minutes. Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay set sentencing for Dec. 2.
Prosecutor Zach VanDyke called two witnesses – the victim, and Bay County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jake Roberts. He also introduced numerous text messages between the defendant and the victim, and the defendant’s statement to Roberts where he admitted having sex with the girl.
“This is a defendant who not only refused to take responsibility for his actions, but who repeatedly lied and denied, and then attempted to put blame on the victim,” VanDyke said. “He tried to make her a victim again with his testimony, and I’m grateful the jurors saw through that. His behavior will send him where he belongs – prison.”
VanDyke told jurors during his opening statement and closing argument there might be things they did not like or disagreed with as to the behavior and actions of all involved – but the simple fact was that it is illegal for a 48-year-old man to have sex with a 15-year-old. And the defendant knew that, referencing it both in his statement to Roberts and his texts with the victim afterward.
The victim testified that the defendant went to high school with one of her relatives and it was through that connection that she met him. She said he picked her up at her residence Jan. 13, drove her around, and they stopped and used cocaine twice. She said after the second time, he initiated sex with her.
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That came to light later when investigators looking into another case found text messages on the victim’s phone to and from the defendant. In them, the defendant referenced doing drugs with the victim, attempted to meet up with the victim again, and on the night of the incident texted her to remember to take an after-sex birth control pill.
The defendant took the stand and denied having sex with the victim, despite his statement to BCSO investigators that he did have sex with her in the back of his car. When asked if he even kissed her, he claimed she tried to kiss him, “but I pushed her away.”
Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its follow-up work that led to Bradly’s arrest and the thorough investigation that helped the case end successfully.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.