Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on October 2, 2018, Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet sentenced Demarcus Giddens to life in prison for the August 20, 2017, murder of 16 year old Jason Ian Price.  On September 27, 2018, a Bay County jury found Giddens guilty as charged of the crimes of First Degree Murder and Attempted Robbery.  Assistant State Attorneys Bob Sombathy and Cord Grimes presented evidence that Giddens pulled out an AK-47 pistol gripped assault weapon and attempted to rob John Pyle during an attempted marijuana purchase between Pyle and Giddens.  Ian Price was sitting in a nearby truck in the CVS parking lot when he saw Arnold High School classmate John Pyle being assaulted by Giddens.  Ian Price ran from his truck in an effort to help Pyle when Giddens turned around and shot Price in the chest.  Giddens fled the scene but was quickly apprehended at the nearby Fairfield Inn parking lot by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.  Giddens, who was 21 years old at the time, traveled down from Auburn, Alabama with several co-defendants.  Giddens testified that he acted in self-defense, but Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy highlighted several flaws in Giddens’ story during the pivotal cross examination of Giddens.  Giddens had been convicted of four felonies in Alabama prior to this charge.

This case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and assigned to Investigator Christian Williams, case agent.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 27, 2018, a Bay County jury unanimously found Demarcus Montrel Giddens guilty as charged of First Degree Murder and Attempted Robbery.

The State proved that on August 20th, 2017, Demarcus Giddens and his accomplices from Auburn, Alabama set up a marijuana deal with local high school students at the CVS Pharmacy on Highway 98 near the Hathaway Bridge.  At CVS, Demarcus Giddens and his accomplices attacked the students.  Demarcus Giddens attempted to rob one of the students at gunpoint with an AK-47 style firearm.  Jason Ian Price, a 17-year old Arnold High School student, was sitting in his friend’s truck away from the incident when he witnessed the robbery.  He left the vehicle to help his friend, who was being held at gunpoint.  Demarcus Giddens turned and fatally shot Jason Ian Price once in the chest as he rushed to his friend’s aid.  The Defendant and his accomplices attempted to flee back to Alabama.  They were apprehended by a Bay County Sheriff’s Deputy at the Fairfield Inn.  The twelve-person jury deliberated around two hours before returning a verdict of guilty.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Bob Sombathy and Cord Grimes.  It was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet set sentencing for October 2, 2018.  The Defendant faces mandatory life in prison.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 27, 2018, Brian David Anderson, 49, of Wausau, Florida was found guilty by a jury in Washington County, Florida.  Anderson was charged with three (3) counts of Lewd and Lascivious Battery on a person under 16 but older than 12.  The State had proven that in July and August 2017, the defendant committed three (3) sexual acts with a child. Though it was not admissible in trial, the defendant had previously been designated a sex offender stemming from a conviction in St. Lucie County, Florida in 1996.

This case was tried by Assistant State Attorneys John Maceluch and Shalla Jefcoat.  The Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Child Protection Team and Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program.  Following the verdict, the defendant was designated a sexual offender and sentenced to 45 years in the Florida Department of Corrections by Circuit Judge Tim Register.

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

Press Release

Veterans Court Established for the 14th Judicial Circuit

On September 27, 2018, State Attorney Glenn Hess and Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford joined Chief Circuit Judge Elijah Smiley, Administrative Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet, and Senator George Gainer in announcing the creation of a Veterans Court for the 14th Judicial Circuit.

Veterans Court is a voluntary diversion court program serving military veterans with mental health or substance abuse problems charged with certain misdemeanor or felony crimes.  It authorizes a judge to expeditiously and efficiently divert veterans with service-related issues into available veteran treatment programs without compromising the safety of the public.

The purpose of Veterans Court is to reduce recidivism by emphasizing treatment and rehabilitation as an alternative to incarceration for veterans, while also requiring offender accountability and increasing public safety.

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

[Pictured in photo (back row): County Veterans Services Director John Deegins, Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford, State Attorney Glenn Hess, Assistant Regional Conflict Counsel Russ Wilson, Public Defender Henry Mark Sims; (front row): Senator George Gainer, Chief Circuit Judge Elijah Smiley, and Administrative Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet.]

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 24, 2018, Katherine “Katie” McLaurin was sworn in as a member of the Florida Bar by Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson, after passing the Florida Bar examination.  On September 25, 2018, she was then sworn in as an Assistant State Attorney by State Attorney Glenn Hess.

Katie began her career with the State Attorney’s Office in 2013 as an intake clerk, and later worked as a legal assistant and legal intern while attending law school at Florida Coastal School of Law.  Katie will be assigned to the misdemeanor division in our Jackson County office. Congratulations, Katie!

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

Press Release:

      The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on Thursday, September 6, 2018, Circuit Judge Michael C. Overstreet sentenced Jmond White to serve 35 years in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by life on probation after the Defendant entered an open plea to the court on the charges of Burglary of a Dwelling with Assault or Battery, Attempted Second Degree Murder and False Imprisonment. 

      On July 2, 2016, the Defendant stabbed the victim 5 times in an attempt to kill her.  The Defendant and victim had been in a romantic relationship.  When the Defendant realized the victim was involved with someone else, he hired a cab and came to the victim’s home in Mexico Beach unannounced.  The victim was home alone when the Defendant burst into her home uninvited where he then began to beat and threaten the victim in her bedroom.  The victim’s boyfriend arrived back at the home and the Defendant threatened him at the entry to the home, then closed the door locking the male outside.  The Defendant then turned on the victim and began stabbing her repeatedly about the head and neck.  The Defendant stopped stabbing her to get a bigger knife from the kitchen.  This is when the victim is able to stumble out the front door and the Defendant then fled the scene.  After the stabbing, the Defendant sent text messages to the victim’s teenage son telling him he killed the victim.  The Defendant was apprehended a short time later on Tyndall Air Force Base.  The victim suffered stab wounds to her neck, arm, side and face.     

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at 850-819-6985 with any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess releases the following information:

On August 29, 2018, Jonathan Adam Jones was convicted in Jackson County, Marianna, of two counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, three counts of Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition, and three counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.  The State established that in February 2017 the defendant touched two children in a sexual manner while providing them with alcohol and tobacco at his residence.  The defendant also exposed himself to children on two different occasions.

This case was tried by Assistant State Attorney Michelle Daffin.  The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office conducted the criminal investigation with assistance from the Child Protection Team and the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.  Following the guilty verdicts, Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced the defendant to 45 years of incarceration in the Florida Department of Corrections.  The defendant was also designated a sexual offender.

If additional information is needed, please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 24, 2018, Circuit Judge Brantley Clark, Jr., sentenced Christopher Steven Chambers to 30 years in prison.  Chambers was sentenced as a Habitual Felony Offender.

Chambers was previously convicted of Vehicular Homicide on August 1, 2018, by a Bay County jury.  Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that the Defendant was traveling at 79 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour residential area when he passed cars that were stopped for a school bus.  He then ran off the road onto the shoulder, striking a utility pole and killing his passenger, Barbie Wright.

Assistant State Attorneys Alyssa Yarbrough and Jennifer Hawkins prosecuted the case with the help of the Florida Highway Patrol.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Friday, August 10, 2018, Circuit Judge Michael C. Overstreet sentenced Dijivis Paul to serve 10 years in the Department of Corrections, with the first 4 years as a mandatory minimum sentence, followed by 10 years probation.  The Defendant had entered an open plea to the court on June 8, 2018, to the crime of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death.

On September 28, 2017, Trindi Coalson, age 35, was walking on the sidewalk in the 900 block of East Avenue when the Defendant struck her with his vehicle.  The Defendant failed to stop and render aid and fled the scene at a high rate of speed and running stop signs, until two citizens stopped him and held him until police arrived.  Ms. Coalson was pronounced dead at the hospital. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.