Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on March 24, 2017, a six-member jury found Joshua David Lee guilty as charged of Aggravated Stalking. On October 29, 2016, law enforcement officers responded to 911 calls made by the victim in this case where she showed deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office text messages sent to her by the defendant.  Those messages included threats of death and bodily injury to the victim. It took the jury 30 minutes to find the defendant guilty as charged.  The defendant is set for sentencing on April 11, 2017, at 8:30 am in front of the Honorable Kathleen Dekker.  The defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in the Department of Corrections as a prison releasee reoffender.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on Friday March 24th, 2017, Jose Antonio Gonzalez was re-sentenced by Circuit Judge Hence McClellan to Life in Prison for the First Degree Murder of Timothy Humphries in August of 2008.

If you have any questions or need any additional information, do not hesitate to contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford as 850-832-5510

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Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, a six-member jury found Andrew Clegg guilty as charged of Felon in Possession of Firearm. On July 13, 2016, Panama City Police Department received a call that the Defendant was threatening to commit suicide and was possibly armed with a firearm. Witnesses reported that the Defendant was on foot carrying a pillow case of his belongings. Officers Danyell Sanders and Curtis Bland located the Defendant at an apartment complex. The Defendant had hidden the pillow case inside an acquaintance’s apartment knowing that law enforcement was looking for him. Inside the pillow case was an unloaded Russian Nagant 7.62 mm x 38R caliber revolver. It took the jury 59 minutes to convict the Defendant of actual possession of the firearm. Judge Kathleen Dekker sentenced the Defendant to a minimum mandatory sentence of 36 months in the Department of Corrections.

The State’s case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Kyle Rash.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Monday, March 13, 2017, Gene Anthony Quinones Rivera, a 27 year old Hispanic male, entered a plea of No Contest to Second Degree Murder.  The investigation began last December when the defendant walked into the Springfield Police Department and began to tell officers that he had caused the death of his infant son during June of 2015, when he was living in Parker. Once it was determined the crime had occurred in Parker, Lt. Aaron Wilson of the Parker Police Department and members of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office interviewed the defendant who readily confessed to placing a sock in the infant’s mouth to make him stop crying.  Quinones continued to cooperate with the investigators and led them to a location in eastern Bay County where he had attempted to dispose of the body.  Circuit Judge Micheal ​C. Overstreet accepted the plea and sentenced Quinones to Life in Prison without the possibility of parole​, the maximum sentence for this crime.

If you have any questions or need additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford at 850-819-6985

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on March 6, 2017, Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet sentenced Brian Michael Proctor to the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child as charged, without the benefit of a plea agreement.  The charges occurred in 2007 when Proctor smothered his girlfriend’s 13 month old child.  After staying silent about his crime for nine years, Proctor confessed to the child’s mother in June of 2016.  The mother convinced Proctor to report the crime to the Panama City Police Department.  When questioned by Detective Chris Nichol, Proctor admitted to smothering the child to “get him to stop crying”.  Proctor claimed he never meant to kill the child and claimed the child was in distress but still alive when he finally removed his hand.  The investigation revealed that Proctor’s guilt and shame finally compelled him to confess to the child’s mother.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy.

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

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 23, 2017, after 45 minutes of deliberation, a six-member jury found Marlon Edgardo Lara Castillo guilty as charged of one count of Lewd & Lascivious Molestation of a Victim Under the Age of 12.  The child victim testified at trial that on the date of March 6, 2016, while at the Defendant’s home, the Defendant sat her on his lap and proceeded to touch her in her vaginal area, both above her clothing as well as under.  The Defendant testified and admitted to the touching of the child victim, but claimed that it was accidental.  The State’s evidence, however, showed that upon learning that deputies from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office wanted to discuss the allegation with him, the Defendant attempted to flee, and was apprehended with a bag full of his personal belongings, his Bible, his passport, and $900 in cash.  The State’s case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys A. Michele Lucas and Christine D. Smallwood.

The Defendant is set for sentencing on March 10, 2017, and is facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in the Department of Corrections.

Contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 with any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 23, 2017 at the Jackson County Courthouse, Heather Sheffield was sentenced by the Honorable Shonna Gay to 20 years in prison for the crime of DUI Manslaughter and Leaving the Scene of an Accident involving Death.  The sentence was the result of Mrs. Sheffield entering an open plea to the court due to the state not offering her any type of plea deal.

On February 11, 2016, Mrs. Sheffield killed her husband, Michael Sheffield, by running him over while driving her silver Chevrolet Impala.  Mrs. Sheffield later admitted to Investigator Jeff Snell that she was driving drunk when she ran over her husband and that she fled the scene out of fear that she would get arrested for DUI.  Mrs. Sheffield did not stop and render aid even though she knew she ran over her husband.  The incident took place within 50 feet of the couple’s front door to their residence in Greenwood, Florida.

An investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office revealed physical evidence of the crime scene that matched the vehicle driven by Mrs. Sheffield, as well as biological evidence under the vehicle which DNA testing showed a match to the victim, Michael Sheffield.  The investigation also revealed that Mrs. Sheffield had both alcohol and methamphetamine in her blood at the time of the offense.  In 2002, Heather Sheffield was convicted of DUI with Serious Bodily Injury.

Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy said, “Although no term of years in prison can bring back their son, Michael Sheffield’s family are satisfied with the sentence, and appreciate Judge Gay allowing the family to address the court on Michael’s behalf.”

Michael Sheffield was 34 years old at the time of his death.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at 850-832-5510 with any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on Wednesday, a Bay County jury found 35 year old William Haden Lundy, of Southport guilty as charged of Traveling to Meet a Minor for Sex and Solicitation of a Minor for Sex.  The crimes were discovered during an investigation conducted by Investigator Mike Wombles of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in July of 2016.  During the trial, Prosecutor Christa Diviney presented evidence that Lundy contacted what he thought was a 14 year old female on “Craigslist” and proceeded to make arrangements to meet her in Panama City Beach to have sex.  Lundy was arrested by officers from the BCSO when he arrived at a predetermined location.  Diviney also presented the incriminating statements Lundy made to Investigator Wombles.  The jury deliberated approximately two hours before reaching their verdict.  Lundy could face up to twenty years in prison for the two criminal convictions.  Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet scheduled a hearing for Friday to address the defendant’s claim that conviction of both crimes violates double jeopardy.

Contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 with any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, a Jackson County jury convicted Ricky Leon Wynn, Jr. of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm.  Assistant State Attorney, Ana Maria Garcia, proved to jurors that Wynn, 31, of Marianna, Florida battered Jeremy Barnes of Malone, Florida, on May 14, 2016 while at Club Secrets in Marianna.  After an argument between Barnes and Wynn, Wynn later armed himself with a firearm and clubbed Barnes over the head with the firearm, which caused it to discharge injuring another club patron, Lazandra Johnson.  Johnson was taken to Jackson Hospital and later transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital due to the seriousness of her injuries. Based upon the facts of the case and the special findings of the jury, Wynn qualifies to be sentenced under Florida’s 10/20/life statute and faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Wynn is a six-time convicted felon.  Accordingly, Assistant State Attorney Garcia will ask the court to impose a life sentence.  A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 with any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announced that on February 14, 2017, Stephen Trusty’s convictions and sentences were affirmed by the First District Court of Appeal.  In February 2015, Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy, Chief of the Major Crimes Division, proved to a jury that Trusty was guilty of Second Degree Murder with a Firearm and Witness Tampering in the death of Leonard Price.  Judge Elijah Smiley sentenced Trusty to a total of 51.2 years of imprisonment, which was upheld by the appeals court on Tuesday.

Click on this link to view the opinion:

https://edca.1dca.org/DCADocs/2015/1233/151233_DC08_02142017_081040_i.pdf

Contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 with any questions.