Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on March 3, 2020, Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia sentenced Donald Mark Grantham to 15 years in prison after a jury convicted him at trial on January 23, 2020, of being a Felon Possessing Firearms.  The Defendant was also designated a Habitual Felony Offender.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on January 20, 2018, the Defendant was a passenger in a pickup truck and had a .44 caliber rifle resting against his thigh concealed under a flannel shirt.  When Ofc. Gore from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked the occupants of the vehicle if there were any weapons in the truck, the Defendant removed the flannel shirt and picked up the rifle stating he got it from a deceased family member.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Lynelle Dowe.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 26, 2020, a Holmes County jury found Mark Lee Turberville guilty as charged of 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

Evidence presented at trial proved that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered that a computer using an IP address connected to the Defendant’s residence was offering to share files of known or suspected child pornography on the internet.  FDLE agents obtained a search warrant for the Defendant’s residence and located the files of child pornography on a computer in the Defendant’s bedroom.  The jury deliberated for 12 minutes before convicting the Defendant.

The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Brandon Young.  Sentencing is set for March 11, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. before the Honorable Judge Timothy Register. The Defendant faces a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison.

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 25, 2020, a Jackson County jury found Nathaniel Watson guilty as charged of Sexual Battery upon a Disabled Person.

Video & DNA evidence presented at trial proved that on November 28, 2017, the Defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim who suffered from Cerebral Palsy and was unable to communicate by any means.

The Defendant faces up to 30 years in prison.  The sentencing is scheduled for April 21, 2020 before the Honorable James J. Goodman.  This case was investigated by Ronnie Furniss of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Shalla Phelps Jefcoat.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 25, 2020, a Bay County jury found Gregory Robinson guilty as charged of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Possession of Hydrocodone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The evidence presented at trial proved that Bay County Sheriff’s Officers were conducting a sexual offender check on the Defendant when they discovered a number of drug transactions that were occurring at the Youngstown Motel room occupied by the Defendant.  A search warrant was later issued and executed on the Defendant’s room.  Inside, Sheriff’s officers located a trafficking amount of methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, and numerous other pills.  The Defendant later contacted the Sheriff’s Office and admitted possession of the drugs.

The case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.  Robinson is a Habitual Felony Offender and faces up to life in prison. He will be sentenced on March 10, 2020, by the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher Patterson.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 21, 2020, a Bay County jury convicted Robert Lafayette Houston, IV, of 8 counts of Sexual Battery on Person Less Than 12 Years of Age.  The Defendant was charged with committing sexual battery on the victim when she was 10 and 11 years old.  The jury heard that these incidents were not isolated and had continued until she was an adult.

Due to the Rules of Evidence, the State was not able to present evidence of prior sex crimes committed by the Defendant.  The State was aware of 4 other young girls he had sexually abused in the past.

This case was investigated by Lt. Jeremy Mathis with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley and Assistant State Attorney Ian Gray.

Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia immediately sentenced the Defendant to 8 consecutive Life sentences, as well as designating him a sexual predator.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on January 27, 2020, Circuit Judge Timothy Register sentenced John Roland Goedtke to life imprisonment, the maximum sentence.  Previously, on January 23, Goedtke entered an open plea to the Court, with no agreement from the State, to three counts of DUI Manslaughter, one count of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death, and one count of Driving While License Suspended or Revoked.  The crash took the lives of linemen Ryan Barrett, George Cesil, and James “Bo” Ussery.  On October 24, 2018, the men were working along Highway 77 to restore power after Hurricane Michael.  Six family members from the Ussery family, the Barrett Family, and the Cesil family addressed the Court at today’s sentencing hearing.

Goedtke had a lengthy prior arrest history from South Florida.  The case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Chipley Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  It was prosecuted by State Attorney Glenn Hess and Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on January 24, 2020, a Bay County jury found Quentin Darryl Grubbs a/k/a Quentin Ladarius Grubbs guilty as charged of being a Felon Possessing a Firearm, a second degree felony.

Evidence presented by the State at trial proved that on March 24, 2019, the Defendant was a passenger in a vehicle with only one headlight and a traffic stop was conducted. Ofc. Luis Hernandez and Ofc. Teddy Stalnaker with the Panama City Police Department both smelled the odor of marijuana after making contact with the occupants. The Defendant initially refused to exit the vehicle and pulled away from officers. He was handcuffed and searched. Ofc. Hernandez located a holstered and loaded .357 Ruger firearm underneath the Defendant’s hoodie.

A test fire was completed by Inv. Shawn Muguadog at the Panama City Police Department proving that the firearm was operational.

The State entered into evidence 12 certified felony convictions from Bay County Circuit Court. Deputy Phillip Thorne with the Bay County Sheriff’s Department performed print comparisons proving that the convictions belonged to the Defendant.

The Defendant was sentenced to the maximum penalty by Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia for a total of 15 years prison with a 3 year minimum mandatory.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Ian Gray.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on January 24, 2020, Circuit Judge Dustin Stephenson sentenced Xsavian “Rozay” Cromartie to a total of 25 years in prison, followed by 5 years of sex offender probation.

Cromartie was designated a Sexual Offender.
Cromartie was previously found guilty as charged by a jury on January 16, 2020, of Lewd and Lascivious Battery, Lewd and Lascivious Molestation, and Lewd and Lascivious Exhibition.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Nicole Reed and Frank Sullivan. Voyager, the Facility Dog from the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, provided support for the victim in this case during court proceedings.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on January 23, 2020, a Bay County jury found Donald Mark Grantham guilty as charged of being a Felon Possessing a Firearm.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on January 20, 2018, the Defendant was a passenger in a pickup truck and had a .44 caliber rifle resting against his thigh concealed under a flannel shirt.  When Ofc. Gore from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked the occupants of the vehicle if there were any weapons in the truck, the Defendant removed the flannel shirt and picked up the rifle stating he got it from a deceased family member.

Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Ana Maria Garcia on March 3, 2020, and the Defendant is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison as a Habitual Felony Offender.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Lynelle Dowe.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on January 23, 2020, John Roland Goedtke entered an open plea to the court to three counts of DUI Manslaughter, one count of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death, and one count of Driving While License Suspended or Revoked.

As the factual basis for the plea, the Defendant admitted to the following. As dusk fell on October 24, 2018, four lineman were working to restore electricity after Hurricane Michael, along the power line that runs on the east side of State Road 77, one mile north of Wausau in Washington County, Florida, just north of the Talton Road intersection. Ryan Barrett was a 22 year old employee of Lee Electric Construction. His supervisor, George Cesil, was 52. James “Bo” Ussery was 61. He was a lineman with West Florida Electric Cooperative. They were standing beneath the power lines 20 feet from the edge of the roadway. Robert Morgan was working above them in a bucket truck.

The Defendant was driving a pickup truck towing a large, enclosed U-Haul trailer northbound on SR 77 at a high rate of speed. Just south of Talton Road, the Defendant ran upon a string of 5 or 6 cars traveling north. He swerved into the southbound lane. Two Musgrove powerline construction trucks were in that lane adjacent to the line of cars the Defendant was attempting to pass. The first truck drove into the ditch. The Defendant passed between the first truck and the line of cars. The second Musgrove truck steered onto the shoulder as the Defendant passed. The Defendant then swerved back into the northbound lane causing the trailer to fishtail. At that point, the Defendant lost all control of his rig. It careened through the ditch on the east side of SR 77. It then launched up over Talton Road. When it landed, it skidded into the three linemen sending two flying and dragging the third under the Defendant’s truck. The Defendant jumped from the truck running north along the highway. He was later arrested at Blue Pond Park, 6 miles away. Denying that he was the driver of the truck, the Defendant told officers – correctly – that his driver’s license was revoked.

Mr. Cesil died at the scene. Ryan Barrett died shortly thereafter while a life flight helicopter was enroute. Bo Ussery died at the hospital. A legal blood draw and lab analysis showed that at the time of the manslaughter the Defendant had 156 ng/mL of methamphetamine and 51 ng/mL of amphetamine in his blood – a quantity rendering the Defendant impaired.

The case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Chipley Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by State Attorney Glenn Hess and Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham. Sentencing is set for Monday, January 27, 2020 at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse before the Honorable Judge Timothy Register. The Defendant faces a minimum of approximately 34 years in prison and a maximum of life.