Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 13, 2021, Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced Jarquez Jerome Whitley to 8 years in prison for Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer and to a consecutive 5 years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  The total sentence is 13 years in prison.  Whitley was previously found guilty of the crimes by a Bay County jury on March 23, 2021.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Peter Overstreet and Jacob Cook.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 9, 2021, Joshua Brandon Sexton entered a plea of guilty to Kidnapping and Robbery with a Deadly Weapon and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The State was prepared to present evidence that the Defendant had called for a cab ride and later directed the cab driver at knifepoint to drive him to Georgia to meet a female he had been talking to on the internet.  The victim was able to flee the scene and call law enforcement after taking the Defendant to Georgia to meet the female.  The Defendant was later interviewed by authorities in Georgia and confessed to the robbery and kidnapping.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 6, 2021, a Bay County jury found 26 year old Jacorian Thomas guilty of manslaughter with a firearm and tampering with evidence.   Sentencing is set for April 23, 2021, before Circuit Judge Brantley Clark.  Thomas faces up to 35 years in prison.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on August 18, 2018, at Abbots Trailer Park in Callaway, Thomas shot and killed 19 year old Demetrius Traylor with a 9 millimeter handgun.  Thomas admitted being high on illegally procured pain pills at the time.  Thomas and Traylor were thought to be friends at the time of the shooting.  Thomas dragged Traylor’s body out of the mobile home and left him sprawled out on a dirt road.  Thomas then attempted to clean the blood from the crime scene.  Thomas fled the scene and remained a fugitive until arrested on August 9, 2019, in Polk County, Florida.

Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy prosecuted the case for the State, and Sgt. Jared Turner was the case agent for the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 1, 2021, a Bay County jury convicted Chad Thomas Harmon of Fleeing and Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting an Officer Without Violence, and Driving While License Suspended, Revoked or Canceled.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on February 16, 2019, Inv. Jacob Roberts with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on the Defendant, who fled while the officer pursued him with siren and lights activated.  The pursuit was cancelled for safety reasons.  Since the Defendant fled down a dead-end road, Inv. Roberts waited for back up to arrive and then proceeded down the road locating the Defendant still in his vehicle.  He activated the siren and lights again, and the Defendant fled a second time in reverse through a field, bailed out of his car, ran, and hid in vegetation.  The Defendant was apprehended a short time later by Inv. Roberts and Dep. Williams.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Amanda Kincaid.  Sentencing is scheduled before Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia on May 4, 2021.  The Defendant qualifies as a Habitual Felony Offender and is facing a maximum of 10 years prison.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on March 30, 2021, a Washington County jury found Antonio Dewayne Brigham guilty of sale of cocaine within 1,000 ft of a park.   The jury heard evidence that Brigham sold cocaine near the Artis Gilmore Park, a park with playground equipment where small children regularly congregate, the afternoon of August 19, 2019.

Circuit Judge Tim Register sentenced Antonio Brigham to 12 years in the Department of Corrections and noted Brigham has been convicted of selling drugs numerous times prior to this occasion.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Megan Ford and Jacob Cook.  The case agent in this case was Curtis Porter of the Chipley Police Department.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on March 30, 2021, a Bay County Jury found Emilio Jack guilty of second degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon.  On July 27, 2019, the victim, Mark Jankiewicz, was found covered in a blanket, under a picnic table at the boat ramp by the Hathaway bridge.  Dr. Jay Radtke, Medical Examiner for the 14^th Circuit testified that Mark Jankiewicz was stabbed over six times by a blunt instrument consistent with the same screwdrivers used by Emilio Jack.  One of the puncture wounds fractured the victim’s spinal cord and another cut through his jugular.

Through follow up investigation, Emilio Jack and Kayla Kostick were developed as associates of Mr. Jankiewicz.  The defendant, Emilio Jack, was located the next day driving the victim’s truck.  Both Jack and Kostick were interviewed by the Bay County Sheriff’s office.

Kostick testified to being present with the defendant and the victim at the boat ramp.  Kostick’s testimony was that she and the victim were talking when the defendant became angry, began attacking the victim and choked him.  The defendant removed a screwdriver from his back pocket and stabbed the victim in the left side of the neck.  Jack then walked to the victim’s truck and retrieved a second screwdriver and stabbed the victim in his ear.  Kostick also stated that the defendant threw both screwdrivers in the nearby water.  These screwdrivers were later located by the Bay County Sheriff’s office dive team.  Kostick said the defendant then obtained a blanket from the back of the truck and covered the victim with it.  Kostick’s testimony was corroborated by several witnesses as well as video and other physical evidence.

Sentencing is set for May 11, 2021 before Circuit Judge Chris Patterson.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Bob Sombathy and Frank Sullivan.  The case agent in this case was Sgt. Steve Rhinehart of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on March 19, 2021, Aaron Blake Wieland was sentenced to 25 years in the Florida Department of Corrections with a 25-year day-for-day minimum mandatory under Florida’s 10/20/LIFE law for the Home Invasion Robbery and Attempted Murder and Kidnapping of Michael Rodriguez.  After the 25-year sentence, Wieland will have 5 years of post-prison probation.

On July 3, 2017, Wieland and his 3 co-defendants conspired to attack Rodriguez, who was staying at a friend’s house due to prior bad blood over drug transactions.  Wieland, armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle, entered the home with his co-defendants and shot Rodriguez.  His co-defendant beat Rodriguez with a hammer and then they attempted to put Rodriguez in the trunk of their car.  Rodriguez was able to escape and run around the side of the house where they shot at Rodriguez again and beat him with a hammer.  Wieland and his co-defendants then fled the area.  Panama City Police Officers arrived on scene and gained information from Rodriguez about his attackers and a bulletin was issued looking for Wieland and his co-defendants.  The next day, US Marshals located all 4 co-defendants and they were arrested.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

PRESS RELEASE

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on March 23, 2021, a Bay County Jury found Jarquez Jerome Whitley guilty as charged for the crimes of Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Officer and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Whitley was wanted out of Panama City for an alleged shooting incident and had warrants for his arrest.  Officers with the Lynn Haven Police Department attempted to stop a car Whitley was driving for speeding.  Whitley then took off at a high rate of speed, narrowly dodging heavy traffic and almost causing collisions with other vehicles.  The pursuit was captured on the dash camera of the pursuing officer.  After wrecking his vehicle, Whitley fled on foot through a park and wood line to his known residence.  Police were able to apprehend Whitley and a firearm that was discarded in Whitley’s path of travel.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Peter Overstreet and Jacob Cook.  Whitley is a six-time convicted felon and faces up to 30 years in prison.  Sentencing is set for April 13, 2021, before the Honorable Christopher Patterson.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.

PRESS RELEASE

The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on March 23, 2021, Wesley Hill, 32, of Blountstown, entered pleas to the following charges:

1. Aggravated Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer

2. Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer

3. Fleeing and Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer

The State was prepared to present evidence that on April 27, 2019, Hill fled from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office while they were trying to arrest him on misdemeanor charges. Hill fled from his house and led officers on a high-speed chase for several minutes. The officers involved included 2 deputies from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Kimbrel himself, and an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Hill intentionally rammed Deputy Richard Mayo’s patrol truck causing Mayo to wreck and receive injuries. During the chase on State Road 69 in Calhoun County, Hill reached speeds near 100 mph and ran several citizens off the road.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney William L. Wright. Circuit Judge Shonna Gay Sentenced Hill to 20 years in the Department of Corrections, suspended after 12 years. After serving 12 years in prison, Hill will serve 3 years of probation with the first 6 months in a residential substance abuse treatment center.

For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.