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.
SENTENCING UPDATE: Lakeland man sentenced to life for attempted second-degree murder
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonJudge Wayne Durden told Tyrone Laster Monday that there wasn’t a single aspect of his case that wasn’t tragic. Laster, 43, shot his friend Chauncey Rollins in the back of the head over a money discrepancy in a drug deal. Rollins was $20 short after finalizing a deal, and Laster was angry about it. “You […]
SENTENCING UPDATE: Man gets life for shooting wife with shotgun
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonJames Brady, 62, was sentenced to life Thursday after a jury found him guilty of attempted second-degree murder for shooting his wife in the arm with a shotgun. After shooting her, Brady left his wife bleeding on their front porch, yelling that it was her fault he shot her. Jurors also found Brady guilty of […]
Tenth Circuit State Attorney’s Office secures death recommendation under new death penalty law
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonBARTOW – Polk jurors unanimously recommended the death sentence Friday in what’s believed to be the first death verdict under the new death penalty law signed by the governor last month. After deliberating about four hours, 12 jurors unanimously found that convicted murderer Benjamin Smiley should be sentenced to death for the 2013 fatal shooting […]
SENTENCING UPDATE: Convicted felon to spend life in prison for armed robbery, kidnapping
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonLenard Masten, who has previous violent crime convictions, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Masten, 26, was found guilty on March 17 of three counts of robbery with a firearm, armed kidnapping, two counts of armed false imprisonment, burglary of a dwelling with an assault while armed with a firearm, possession of a […]
JURY VERDICT: Man guilty of attempted manslaughter after grass clipping incident
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonSEBRING – Max Horton said he’s not the type to get mad – he gets even. On Sept. 17, 2015, lawn workers at Casa Del Lago in Avon Park blew stray glass clippings on a vehicle in Horton’s driveway. Horton, who believed the act was deliberate, motioned for Robert Hendrix – the owner of the […]
JURY VERDICT: Lakeland man guilty of first-degree arson
/in SAO10 Blog /by Kaitlyn PearsonKiera Williams woke up to the smell of smoke. About 3 a.m. on April 7, 2015, she heard the dog barking and immediately jumped out of bed and ran into the living room of her parents’ home, where smoke filled the air. The car and garage were completely engulfed in flames. Williams, her parents and […]