Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Thursday, November 17, 2016, a Circuit Court jury in Bay County deliberated approximately 65 minutes before finding the defendant, Ricardo J. Mason, guilty of Battery.  Assistant State Attorneys Devin Collier and Kyle Rash called four witnesses during the trial to establish their case.  The witnesses testified that the defendant had that after being found wandering in a stranger’s yard.  When paramedics responded to medically clear the defendant prior to transporting him to the Bay County Jail Detox Unit, the defendant bit through a paramedic’s jacket leaving a serious bruise on his upper arm.  After the jury’s unanimous verdict, Circuit Judge James Fensom adjudged the defendant guilty and sentenced him to one year in the Bay County Jail.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, a Bay County Circuit Jury found Scott Thomas Hicks guilty of Aggravated Child Abuse, Neglect of a Child Causing Great Bodily Harm, Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle Causing Great Bodily Harm and Culpable Negligence Exposing Another to Injury.  The charges arose from the investigation initiated by the bailiffs at the Bay County Courthouse on September 16, 2015.  When Hicks was taken into custody on other charges, he advised the bailiffs that he had left a child in his vehicle unattended.  The bailiffs soon found a four year old boy in a vehicle in the parking lot.  The child was seriously dehydrated and had multiple bruises on his body, with an open wound to his head and severe injury to his groin.  Assistant State Attorney Christa Diviney prosecuted the case and presented evidence that the child suffered great bodily harm because of the continued willful torture and neglect. After the verdict, Judge James Fensom ordered the Defendant be held without bond and scheduled his sentencing hearing for December 2, 2016. Hicks faces a total of fifty-one years on these crimes if the Judge imposes the maximum sentence.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, a Gulf County jury deliberated approximately 1 hour before finding Twala Evete Tiller guilty of felony battery, a third degree felony.  Assistant State Attorney Gary Pack presented evidence that Tiller attacked the victim, Anna Marie Hood, on April 4, 2016, while she stood in line at the Dollar General Store in Wewahitchka.  The testimony at trial indicated Tiller kicked, bit and punched the victim resulting in great bodily harm. Circuit Judge John Fishel requested that a pre-sentence investigation report and a guideline sentence scoresheet be prepared to assist him in determining a proper sentence.  Tiller’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6, 2016.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that after having been found guilty of two counts of sexual battery by a jury of his peers on October 11, 2016, Segwayne Kirk Anthony Goldson was sentenced by Judge Michael Overstreet this afternoon.  Mr. Goldson was sentenced as a violent sexual offender as to the first of the two crimes of which he was convicted.  This was a first degree sexual battery with physical force likely to cause serious personal injury, and was remanded to the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections for a period of 50 years.  The 50 year sentence must be served day for day.  Goldson was also sentenced as a sexual offender on the second crime, this being second degree sexual battery, to an additional 15 years.  This shall be served consecutively for a total sentence of 65 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.

Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley argued on behalf of the State for the sentence imposed, after reminding the court of the violent nature of the crimes committed against the victim.  The crimes occurred on Panama City Beach during the early hours of July 1, 2016, while the victim was walking home from work.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

October 26, 2016

For Immediate Release

According to the State Attorney’s Office:

A Jackson County jury convicted Adrian Lamar Graham on Monday, October 24, 2016 of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer.

Assistant State Attorney Tyler Land proved to jurors that Graham, 31, of 2933 Milton Avenue, Marianna battered a Jackson County Correctional Officer on August 24, 2015 while in protective custody at the Jackson County Jail.

Because he qualifies as a Habitual Felony Offender under Florida Law, Graham faces up to 10 years in prison when Circuit Judge, Shonna Gay, sentences him.  A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Land was assisted in the trial by Assistant State Attorney Laura Wahlquist and State Attorney Investigator Dave Edmonson.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that Segwayne Kirk Anthony Goldson, 29, of Jamaica, was tried and convicted by a Bay County Jury on October 11, 2016 of Sexual Battery using Physical Force Likely to Cause Serious Personal Injury for his attack on a female over age 18 on Panama City Beach this summer.

Assistant State Attorneys Barbara Beasley and Christine Smallwood showed that Goldson attacked the victim behind an abandoned Publix store on Middle Beach Road and dragged her into the woods where he brutally raped and strangled her.  During the rape, Goldson strangled the victim to unconsciousness.  When she woke, she ran half clothed into a residential area and flagged down a good samaritan who was driving by. During the trial, Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley presented DNA evidence that was collected at the hospital and examined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that aided in establishing Goldson’s guilt.  The case was investigated by Steve Rhinehart of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

Circuit Judge Michael C. Overstreet scheduled a sentencing hearing on November 10, 2016.  Goldson could face Life in prison with a 50 year minimum mandatory sentence. Goldson also has pending charges in Walton County for another Sexual Battery.

Please contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on October 6, 2016, Judge Michael C. Overstreet sentenced Jaterrance Goodman to 35 years prison for charges stemming from the November 24, 2015, incident in which Goodman was the passenger in a grey Toyota Tacoma and actively pursued the victim’s vehicle on Business 98 in the Millville area of Panama City.  At approximately 2pm, Goodman opened fire on the victim’s vehicle in “drive by shooting” style firing multiple times with a .40 caliber handgun. He struck the victim’s vehicle at least two times and came close to striking innocent bystanders at a nearby business.

On September 16, 2016 the jury found Goodman guilty as charged of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Firearm, Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle, and Discharging a Firearm from a Vehicle.  The 35 year prison sentence includes a 20 year day for day minimum mandatory sentence pursuant to the 10-20-Life law. Judge Overstreet also included a 15 year probation sentence to follow his prison sentence.

Please contact Chief Assistant Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on October 6, 2016, Judge Michael C. Overstreet sentenced Keith McCray, a/k/a K-Dog to 35 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for his role in a June, 2015 attempted murder and robbery scheme.  In September, a jury found that McCray had robbed two individuals at gunpoint when they arrived to purchase a couch listed on Craigslist.  The crimes occurred at the 13th Street apartments on Frankford Avenue in Panama City.  Since a firearm was used during the commission of these crimes, McCray will have to serve a minimum mandatory sentence (day for day) under Florida’s 10-20-Life law.  Upon release from prison, Overstreet ordered McCray to serve an additional 15 years of probation.

Please contact Chief Assistant Larry Basford at (850) 819-6985 for any questions.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that a Washington County jury deliberated just twenty minutes before returning a verdict of guilty as charged against Jennifer Land, age 37, of Cottondale for Dealing in Stolen Property.  During the trial, Assistant State Attorney Shalla Jefcoat called four witnesses to prove that Land attempted to sell an aluminum dog box that had been stolen from her former employer six months earlier.  Land’s boyfriend is facing charges of Burglary and Grand Theft involving the same victim. The case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. After the jury’s guilty verdict, Judge Allen Register ordered that Land be taken into custody and scheduled her sentencing hearing for October 10, 2016.

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

Press Release

           The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on September 16, 2016, it took less than 30 minutes for a Bay County jury to find Jaterrance Goodman guilty as charged of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Firearm, Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle, and Discharging a Firearm from a Vehicle.

          Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy showed that on November 24, 2015, Goodman was the passenger in a grey Toyota Tacoma and actively pursued the victim’s vehicle on Business 98 in the Millville area of Panama City. At approximately 2pm, Goodman opened fire on the victim’s vehicle in “drive by shooting” style firing multiple times with a .40 caliber handgun. He struck the victim’s vehicle at least two times and came close to striking innocent bystanders at a nearby business.

          Goodman’s motive was apparently revenge. The victim had cooperated with law enforcement in a prior case against Goodman, and Goodman called the victim on his cell phone just prior to the shooting to taunt him, telling him “I’ve got 30 bullets right here for you, I’m right behind you.” Goodman now faces up to 45 years in prison. His sentencing has been set for October 6, 2016, in front of the Honorable Michael C. Overstreet.

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