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.
Lakeland man convicted of 2016 fatal stabbing
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissSix jurors took three hours Thursday to convict a Lakeland man of fatally stabbing a man during a bonfire party outside his home. Ronald Wagoner, 29, was found guilty of manslaughter with a weapon and tampering with a witness. Circuit Judge William “Bill” Sites will sentence Wagoner at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 25. He […]
Lake Wales man convicted of attacking police officers
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissDuring a May 1 encounter with Lake Wales Police, Maurice Heyward, 40, became violent with officers, even causing one of the officers to fall into and damage one of the department’s Ford Explorers. Prior to the incident, Heyward sped through a stop sign on his bicycle at Tillman Avenue and Second Street. When Heyward […]
Methodical and Meticulous: Homicide prosecutor recognized statewide as he builds cases through attention to detail
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissListening to Homicide Director Paul Wallace, it’s easy to forget he’s put away some of the most cruel and brutal killers during the last 30 years. He’s direct, kind-hearted, soft-spoken and has a knack for mentoring sharp attorneys in the most high-profile division at the State Attorney’s Office. Wallace, 62, is also one of the […]
Lakeland vet sentenced to jail for cruelty to her horses
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA longtime Lakeland veterinarian convicted earlier this year of animal cruelty for mistreating her horses was sentenced to 90 days in jail earlier this week and can no longer treat animals. Circuit Court Judge Wayne Durden also sentenced Gail Nichols to 10 years of probation for four animal cruelty convictions, which centered around a lack […]
Judge orders Lakeland man to begin serving sentence following appeals court decision
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA 26-year-old Lakeland man convicted of killing a construction worker in a hit-and-run crash on South Florida Avenue was sent to prison Tuesday days after an appeals court ruled against him. Dustin Halstead was found guilty of vehicular homicide in 2018, but Circuit Judge Kevin Abdoney, spurred by the 2nd District Court of Appeals, […]
Superhero-loving prosecutor fights for justice
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissMonica Smith was 16 credit hours short of receiving her doctorate in clinical psychology when she dropped out, took the LSAT and enrolled in Florida Coastal School of Law. Smith had learned much during training for family custody disputes and ways to evaluate sex offenders, but she faced tedious therapy classes to earn a […]