A convicted sexual predator nearing his prison release date has instead been ordered to the Florida Civil Commitment Center as a Sexually Violent Predator under the Jimmy Ryce Act, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Assistant State Attorney Zach Taylor, in a bench trial before Judge Elijah Smiley this week, showed that Robert Lee Lawrence had a history of sexual crimes spanning four decades. This includes several sex crimes against children – and the evidence showed he was likely to offend again.
The defendant, 60, was serving a 20-year sentence after pleading no contest to Sexual Battery and Kidnapping involving a young male teen in 2003. Prior to that, he had served 9 years for his involvement in the 1980 sexual battery of an inmate.
His criminal history involving sex crimes includes arrests for sexually assaulting two male teens, and at least two other inmates. He has spent 35 of the last 40 years in jail or prison.
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The defendant’s release date on the 2003 Sexual Battery and Kidnapping was approaching when Taylor filed a petition for the state seeking a trial under the Sexually Violent Predator Statute – known as the Jimmy Ryce Act. It is a civil commitment process, after a prison sentence, for the most dangerous sexual offenders in the state.
Taylor called two forensic psychologists to testify as experts. They agreed that the defendant suffered from a mental abnormality and personality disorder to the extent he was very likely to reoffend if not confined to a secure facility for long-term control, care, and treatment.
The defense had an expert testify. However, Judge Smiley ruled that the State met its burden of proof and ordered that Lawrence be committed to the Florida Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia.
For additional information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.