Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, September 26, 2019, a six-member jury found Michael Anthony Harper guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of Short-Barreled Shotgun.

On November 26, 2018, Bay County Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant on 5604 Hathaway Road.  A search of the residence resulted in the recovery of an illegally modified short-barreled shotgun found in Harper’s locked bedroom.  At trial, the State presented evidence establishing that Harper was in possession of the firearm and that he was a convicted felon.

The Honorable Judge Dedee Costello classified the defendant as a Habitual Felony Offender and sentenced Harper to five (5) years in the Department of Corrections.

The case was investigated by Jeremy Head of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Lawrence Gill and Lynelle Dowe.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that Brittany Adams was sworn in as an Assistant State Attorney by State Attorney Glenn Hess on September 26, 2019.  Mrs. Adams joined the State Attorney’s Office in August.  She was sworn in as an attorney by County Judge Shane Vann on September 24 after passing the Florida Bar exam.

Mrs. Adams, a Bay County native, is a 2019 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, Washington.  She completed the first year of her law degree at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.  Prior to attending law school, Mrs. Adams earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Political Science from the University of Florida.

Mrs. Adams has worked as a Legal Intern for the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General Corps, Region Legal Service Office Northwest; the U.S. Coast Guard, CGJAG 13th District Legal Office; and the Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  She has also worked as a Clinic Student at the Washington Innocence Project.  We welcome Mrs. Adams to the team!

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 26, 2019, a Bay County jury found Jermaine Croft guilty as charged of two counts of Sexual Battery on a Physically Helpless Person.  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.

During the trial, the State presented the testimony of the victim, her friend, the nurse who performed the sexual assault kit, Lt. Aaron Wilson from the Parker Police Department, and the FDLE DNA analyst.  Evidence showed injuries consistent with forcible rape, and the DNA results proved the Defendant had vaginally and anally raped the victim.  It took the jury less than 40 minutes to convict.

Croft is a 6-time convicted felon and faces 60 years in prison.  Sentencing is set for October 14, 2019, before the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher Patterson.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Peter Overstreet and Brittany Adams.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 25, 2019, a Bay County jury found Joseph Darian Bell guilty as charged of Sale of Heroin.  The evidence presented at trial established that the defendant sold to a confidential informant from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.  The Bay County Sheriff’s Office assisted and utilized undercover recording equipment to record the sale of the heroin to the confidential informant.  The defendant is set for sentencing on October 13, 2019 before the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher Patterson.  Bell is a Habitual Felony Offender and faces 30 years in prison.  Bell is also facing charges of Attempted Murder and Home Invasion Robbery.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 25, 2019, a Bay County jury found the defendant, Janella Lashane Hardy, guilty of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon Causing Great Bodily Harm, and Criminal Mischief.

In trial, the State presented evidence that proved on April 3, 2019, Hardy used a crowbar to destroy all the windows and tires on the victim’s vehicle.  The victim fled the scene for her safety, leaving her car and cellphone behind.  Shortly after, the victim returned to the scene to retrieve her cell phone to call for help.  However, Hardy anticipated her returned, and Hardy continued her brutal attack with the crowbar. The victim was able to make her escape once again, which led to Hardy’s arrest by Officer James Ferrell of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. During this altercation the victim sustained two broken wrists, multiple broken ribs, and a contusion on her head.  She was transported to Gulf Coast Hospital for medical treatment, where she subsequently underwent reconstructive surgery to repair her wrist. After only twenty-five minutes of deliberation, six jurors found the defendant guilty as charged on both counts.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Lawrence Gill. Sentencing is set for October 21, 2019, before the Honorable Judge Dedee Costello.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, a Bay County jury convicted Jeremy Javon Lee of Attempted Manslaughter by Act with a Firearm.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on October 21, 2018, the Defendant was invited into the victim’s home, pulled a gun out of a backpack and shot the victim in the chest.  The Defendant then fled the scene, hid in the wooded area behind the victim’s apartment for several hours while he disposed of the firearm, his hoodie, pants and backpack.  The Defendant lied to his family, telling them he wasn’t even in Panama City and didn’t shoot anyone.  At trial, he testified that the shooting was an accident.  The victim suffered great bodily harm as the bullet traveled from the entry wound in his chest, through his abdomen into his right hip.

This case was investigated by Det. Kristian Shaw at the Panama City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Amanda Kincaid.  Sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. before Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 5, 2019, Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia accepted Dylan Morris’ plea to DUI Manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and sentenced Morris to 12 years in the Department of Corrections.

The State was prepared to prove that on October 27, 2017, Morris was traveling north on his motorcycle on Clara Avenue.  As he approached the intersection of Clara Avenue and State Road 392, he ran a stop sign, causing him to collide with a motorcycle traveling westbound on State Road 392, being operated by Joaquin M. Carmargo of Bainbridge, GA.  Mr. Carmargo sustained fatal injuries in the collision.  At the time of the crash, Morris had a blood alcohol content of .127, in excess of the legal limit of .08.

The case was investigated by the Panama City Beach Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham of the Major Crimes Division.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 30, 2019, Circuit Judge Dustin Stephenson sentenced Horace Evan Hollie for Resisting an Officer without Violence and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer.  At the sentencing hearing, the State presented evidence that the Defendant should be classified a Habitual Felony Offender, doubling the maximum possible sentence to 10 years in prison.  Judge Stephenson classified the Defendant as such before sentencing the Defendant to the Department of Corrections for a period of 66 months.

Previously, on August 13, 2019, Hollie was found guilty of the crimes by a Bay County jury after a trial.  The State presented photographic and testimonial evidence that on May 8, 2019, Cpl. Boan with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office was battered by the Defendant after responding to a call about a passed out individual outside a Dollar General store located on 15th Street.  Upon arriving at Dollar General, Cpl. Boan approached a man fitting the suspect’s description and asked for the man’s identification.  Unbeknownst to Cpl. Boan at the time contact was made, that man, later-identified as the Defendant, had an active warrant for his arrest.  The Defendant then tried to run, with the hopes of avoiding his arrest on that outstanding warrant.  A struggle ensued as Cpl. Boan tried to single-handedly detain the Defendant and confirm his identity.  During the struggle, Cpl. Boan testified that the Defendant battered him and resisted his efforts to take detain the Defendant.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Calie Rivera and Frank Sullivan.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 22, 2019, Circuit Judge Christopher N. Patterson sentenced Adeviante Demari Russ to 25 years in prison for the shooting of Gerald Smith.

On May 23, 2019, a jury found Russ guilty of Manslaughter with a Firearm, a first-degree felony punishable up to 30 years in prison.  Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham presented 16 witnesses during the trial to establish that the defendant personally carried, displayed and discharged a firearm causing the death of Gerald Smith.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, August 22, 2019, Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia sentenced Roderick Demetrias Davenport to Life in prison, 60 years in prison to run concurrent, and another 15 years in prison to run concurrent after a jury found him guilty of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition, and Tampering with a Victim on July 17, 2019. The Defendant was designated a Sexual Predator.

The case was investigated by Detective Christian Shaw of the Panama City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.