Press Release
The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on October 14, 2019, Chief Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced Jermaine Croft to a total of 60 years of imprisonment for two counts of Sexual Battery on a Physically Helpless Victim.
Croft was found guilty of the charges by a Bay County jury on September 26, 2019. Evidence presented at trial proved that the victim and her friends went out for a celebration in Panama City Beach. The victim planned to stay the night with her best friend. Croft, who had given a fake last name of Bryant, was dating the victim’s best friend. After a night out drinking, the three returned to the friend’s residence where the friend took care of the victim and helped her to bed, because she was extremely intoxicated. Afterwards Croft left the residence and later returned from a bar. Croft then forcibly raped the victim as she was asleep and unconscious. The victim attempted to fight Croft off but was choked, bitten, and slammed into the bed numerous times.
Croft is a six-time convicted felon. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Peter Overstreet and Brittany Adams.
For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.