Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on June 14, 2019, Joshua Nathan Foster was found guilty as charged of Trafficking More Than 200 Grams of Methamphetamine, Carrying a Concealed Firearm, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.  This conviction stemmed from an arrest on August 6, 2017.

During the trial, the jury heard evidence that investigators from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office attempted to arrest the defendant on active warrants and discovered over 400 grams of liquid methamphetamine in the vehicle the defendant was driving as well as in his storage unit. The defendant was converting the liquid methamphetamine to crystal meth and selling it.

The case was a joint investigation between Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2019, before the Honorable Brantley S. Clark, Jr., where the State will seek to have the defendant sentenced as a Habitual Felony Offender.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Frank Sullivan and Megan Ford.

For additional information contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, June 20, 2019, Samuel Leo Ricky Solomon was found guilty as charged of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Weapon.  During the trial, the State was able to prove that in January 2019, the Defendant made an unprovoked attack on the mother of his children where he stabbed her three times in the chest while she was still seated in her vehicle as she arrived home.  The Defendant was stopped by a Good Samaritan neighbor who heard the victim screaming.  The Defendant then fled the area but was stopped and held at gunpoint by another Good Samaritan.  Police recovered the knife hidden in the yard of a neighbor.  The victim survived the attack.

The Defendant has multiple prior felony convictions including prior convictions for violence, and is facing up to 30 years in prison.  Sentencing is scheduled to be set in July before the Honorable Judge Christopher Patterson.  The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Alexis Sykes and Nichole Pieper.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on June 12, 2019, after a two- day trial, Jonathan Bennett was found guilty as charged of First Degree Murder with a Firearm.  Sentencing is set before Circuit Judge Brantley S. Clark, Jr., on June 25, 2019.

Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy, Chief of Major Crimes, and Assistant State Attorney Cord Grimes proved that on May 29, 2017, Jonathan Bennett shot the victim, Cody Darby, once directly in the throat, but claimed he acted in self-defense.  Bennett and Darby were roommates and had exchanged words earlier in the morning of May 29, 2017.  Bennett left the residence abruptly; went to his grandmother’s home to retrieve a 410 shotgun; returned to the residence and walked directly to Darby’s room; killing him in his sleep.  This case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, case agent Investigator Amy Burnette.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Friday June 7, 2019, the Honorable Circuit Judge Christopher N. Patterson found that Randy “Bo” Holley qualified as a Habitual Felony Offender and sentenced Mr. Holley to 25 years in prison for Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement Officers (High Speed/ Reckless).

During the jury trial two weeks ago, the State was able to prove that Holley was spotted as a passenger in a silver Cadillac.  When the police tried to detain Holley for multiple felony warrants, he switched with the driver and took the police on a chase through a Panama City Beach neighborhood and up Highway 79 through West Bay.  During the chase, speeds topped 130 MPH and Holley avoided spike strips laid out by law enforcement by driving though the median of Highway 79.  The defendant was captured the next day when he fled once again from law enforcement in Washington County.  This time law enforcement successfully deployed spike strips that disabled the defendant’s car.

The case was investigated by Bay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Alexis Sykes and Nicole Reed.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on June 3, 2019, Senior Circuit Judge Dedee Costello sentenced James David Watson to a total of 13 years in prison, followed by two years of probation, and permanent revocation of his driver’s license.

Watson had been convicted of DUI Manslaughter by a Bay County jury on April 17, 2019.  The State presented 11 witnesses during the trial to establish that the Defendant was under the influence of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances, had a blood alcohol level greater than .08, and caused a traffic crash which resulted in the death of Candi Bailey.

The case was investigated by the Panama City Beach Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham, who presented evidence at sentencing of the Defendant’s prior record of five felonies and a prior DUI.  The victim’s mother and sisters spoke at the hearing about how the loss has affected their entire family.

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

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, May 30, 2019, a Bay County jury found Noah Zane Marsh, 24, of Panama City, Florida, guilty of Battery on Law Enforcement Officer, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Burglary.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the Panama City Beach Police Department developed the Defendant as a suspect in a car burglary that occurred on November 17, 2018, in the Bid-A-Wee community.  The Defendant was located and stopped by Officer Williams, only hours after the burglary had occurred.  When Officer Williams attempted to detain the Defendant, he was punched multiple times when the Defendant attempted to evade his arrest.  A subsequent search of the Defendant revealed that he was in actual possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and several items belonging to the victim of the car burglary.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Lawrence Gill and Nicole Reed.  Circuit Judge Ana Garcia adjudicated the defendant guilty and scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 11, 2019.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Friday, May 24, 2019, Randy “Bo” Holley was convicted of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement (High Speed/ Reckless).  During the trial, the State was able to prove that Holley was spotted as a passenger in a silver Cadillac.  When the police tried to detain Holley for multiple felony warrants, he switched with the driver and took the police on a chase through a Panama City Beach neighborhood and up Highway 79 through West Bay.  During the chase, speeds topped 130 MPH and Holley avoided spike strips laid out by law enforcement by driving though the median of Highway 79.  The defendant was captured the next day when he fled once again from law enforcement in Washington County.  This time law enforcement successfully deployed spike strips that disabled the defendant’s car.

The defendant has numerous pending felony charges and has multiple prior felony convictions.  The State is seeking to have the defendant classified as a habitual felony offender which would qualify the defendant for a maximum sentence of up to 30 years.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2019, before Circuit Judge Christopher N. Patterson.  The case was investigated by Bay County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Alexis Sykes and Nicole Reed.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on May 24, 2019, Jermaine Deshon Monlyn was found guilty by a jury in Bay County, Florida, of Battery on Law Enforcement and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.

Assistant State Attorneys Nichole Pieper and Barbara Beasley proved that during the execution of a search warrant, Monlyn, a resident of the apartment, came rushing into the apartment after being cleared by officers and refused to obey all commands given to him and cooperate with investigators on scene.  The evidence established that during the search, Corporal Darby Gay attempted to detain the defendant and was attacked.  It took three officers to subdue the defendant.  Circuit Judge Dustin Stephenson scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2019.

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

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, May 23, 2019, a Circuit Court jury deliberated approximately one hour and 14 minutes before finding Adeviante Demari Russ guilty of Manslaughter with a Firearm, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Assistant State Attorney Mark E. Graham presented 16 witnesses during the trial to establish that the defendant personally discharged a firearm causing the death of Gerald Smith at Macedonia Gardens Apartments on April 21, 2017.  The case was investigated by the Panama City Police Department; Inv. Jordan Hoffman was the case agent.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 19, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. CST before Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson.

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