The Office of the State Attorney is committed to transparency and responds to all records requests in a timely manner. If you wish to make a request, you can do so by contacting Paul Sessions, custodian of Public Records, at (863) 534-4844 or by clicking the button to submit a request.
Recent Press Releases
Please be advised that Florida has a broad Public Records law and all e-mail correspondence to this office or anyone employed here may be subject to disclosure. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this agency. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.
Jury deliberates 20 minutes before convicting man of sexual battery
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA jury took 20 minutes Wednesday to convict a 39-year-old Lakeland man of raping a 20-year-old woman at a Lakeland home in 2016. Robert Ray Bryant Jr., now 42, faces up to 30 years in prison following the conviction of sexual battery on a physically helpless person. Circuit Judge Michael McDaniel is scheduled […]
Bartow teen receives life sentence for raping toddler
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA circuit judge sentenced a 19-year-old Bartow man to life in prison Friday for raping a 2-year-old girl in 2018. Thomas Johnson, who was 17 when he assaulted the girl, showed little emotion throughout the two-day sentencing hearing. In 2019, he pleaded no contest to sexual battery on child under 18 and tampering with physical […]
Haines City man found guilty of shooting man in the stomach
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA jury found a 55-year-old Haines City man guilty Wednesday of attempted second-degree murder for shooting a man in the stomach in 2019. William Gilbert will be sentenced by Judge Keith Spoto on April 3 for shooting the 51 year-old victim, who had been sitting outside with friends in Haines City. Gilbert suspected he […]
Lakleand man sentenced to 25 years for sexually assaulting girl
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA Lakeland man who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in 2018 was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday. Jessie Thomas, 29, was also designated as a sexual predator. Assistant State Attorney Randall Daugustinis prosecuted the case. The sexual assault occurred in July 2018. Thomas was confronted about molesting the child during a recorded […]
Lakeland man receives life sentence for raping 14-year-old girl
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA 35-year-old man was sentenced to two life sentences Thursday for raping a 14-year-old girl who became pregnant and later gave birth. Jason Elsea, of Lakeland, pleaded guilty in December. Before Elsea was sentenced, Assistant State Attorney Ashley McCarthy urged Circuit Judge William “Bill” Sites to sentence Elsea to life in prison. McCarthy explained […]
Miami man sentenced to life for 2016 fatal shootings
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA Miami man was recently sentenced to life in prison for killing three Lakeland residents during a robbery inside a Lakeland home in 2016. Jamaal Smith, 29, became the second person sentenced in the brutal killing and robbery of Angelica Castro, Eneida Branch and David Washington. In 2019, Johnathan Alcegaire, 31, was sentenced to death […]