In the first COVID-19-Era First Degree Murder Trial, jurors convicted James “Jimbo” Pennington for the murder of Devyn Martin in Indian Lake Estates in 2017. During the 6 day trial, jurors heard testimony from Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies and other witnesses to the crime. Assistant State Attorney Jaenea Gorman presented evidence to the jurors […]
State Attorney Brian Haas’ Office prosecuted Edward Stevenson for sexually abusing a young girl. Stevenson was convicted at a jury trial of four counts of sexual battery on a child. He was arrested in 2017 after Winter Haven Police investigated the abuse allegations. They also conducted a controlled phone call with the defendant and […]
A Winter Haven man was sentenced to seven years in prison in October for trafficking more than $2,000 in methamphetamine. Alan Stroh, 56, was found guilty Oct. 14 after six jurors deliberated for about two hours. Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Stroh following the conviction. Assistant State Attorney Michael Nutter prosecuted the case. Nutter told […]
A Winter Haven man, who stabbed two roommates with a box cutter in 2018, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison. Justin Handshoe, 35, pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, which are second degree felonies. Handshoe attacked his roommates, a man and a woman, several days after […]