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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 16, 2019, a Bay County jury found the defendant, Larry D. Sims, guilty as charged of Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Attempted 1st Degree Felony Murder, Armed Burglary with an Assault or Battery with a Firearm, and Attempted 2nd Degree Murder.

Evidence presented at trial proved that Sims, after arguing with his girlfriend, the victim, entered her home by kicking in the front door and master bedroom door in the early morning hours of April 10, 2017, in Parker, Florida.  Sgt. Peavy with the Parker Police Department was on routine patrol when he heard gunshots coming from a residence across the street from Parker Elementary.  The dash came caught the audio and video of parts of the shooting incident.  The defendant had taken the victim out of her home by the hair and as she tried to run away, shot her multiple times.  After she fell to the ground, the defendant stood over her and shot her multiple times into the ground.  The children who were inside the home witnessed the shooting and then ran across the street to Sgt. Peavy who had just activated his blue lights.  While the children ran, Sims took aim and fired an additional round at one of the children.  Sgt. Peavy immediately took the children into his patrol vehicle and secured them.  Sims immediately fled the scene.  Investigators with the Parker Police Department and Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case alongside the State Attorney’s Office.  Sims was later arrested on a warrant.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.  Sentencing is set for August 30, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. before the Honorable Dustin Stephenson.  Sims faces a mandatory life sentence on all counts under the 10/20/Life law and he is a designated Prison Releasee Reoffender under Florida Law.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 13, 2019, a Bay County jury found Horace Evan Hollie guilty of Resisting an Officer without Violence and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer.  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 detain the Defendant.

Hollie is set for sentencing before the Honorable Judge Dustin Stephenson on August 30, 2019.  At sentencing, the Judge will also consider the Defendant’s status as a Habitual Felony Offender, which doubles the Defendant’s statutory maximum sentence to up to 10 years in prison.

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 State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 5, 2019, Lynelle Dowe joined our Bay County office as an Assistant State Attorney in the Misdemeanor Division.  Ms. Dowe obtained a B.S. in Biology-Pre Med and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and then went on to earn a J.D. from Barry University School of Law in Orlando.  She previously worked as a Judicial Law Clerk/Staff Attorney in the 19^th Judicial Circuit in Martin and Okeechobee Counties, and as a Judicial Law Clerk in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.  We welcome Ms. Dowe to the team!

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

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 25, 2019, a Bay County jury found Daniel Cody Guynn guilty of Felony Battery.  At trial, the State was able to show that the victim arrived at the Serenity House after a heated text message exchange with the Defendant’s father.  The Defendant’s father then initiated a physical attack in which the victim did not fight back, but only attempted to subdue the father.  After the father charged at the victim, the Defendant got out of the vehicle and armed himself with a blunt object.  The Defendant then attacked the victim which resulted in multiple injuries to the victim.  The attack only stopped because the victim pleaded with the father to stop the Defendant.  The father and the Defendant then fled the scene.  At trial, the Defendant claimed that he was acting in defense of his father.  The jury deliberated for 20 minutes.  Guynn is set for sentencing before the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher N. Patterson on September 10, 2019.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Nicole Reed and Peter Overstreet.  The case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

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