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.
Conviction Should Serve as a Warning to Residents Having Work Done in Their Homes
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensIn the early part of 2021, a local resident had a bathroom in her home renovated. The project took a couple of months. Later that year, the victim was preparing for a family gathering and attempted to retrieve her silver from a cabinet in her home. She realized it had been taken, along with other valuable items […]
Man Convicted of Kidnapping and Tampering with a Witness
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensLondon Sir Dangerous, 29, was convicted by a Polk County Jury of Kidnapping, Tampering with a Witness and several other charges. Sir Dangerous and the victim got into a verbal argument at the Briarcrest Apartments in Winter Haven that quickly escalated. The defendant grabbed the victim’s car keys and entered into the vehicle with her. […]
SAO10 Participates in Local Christmas Parades
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensThe State Attorney’s Office was excited to participate in the Lakeland, Havendale and Bartow Christmas Parades for the first time this year. Everyone had a merry good time!
Highlands County Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder of Four-Year-Old Girl
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensIvan Sanders was found guilty and sentenced to Life in prison for First Degree Murder and Aggravated Child Abuse. Sanders was watching the victim while her mother was at work. Sanders threw the child across the room; hitting her head on the floor, causing her skull to fracture and brain to swell. Sanders delayed taking […]
Man Convicted and Sentenced to 30 Years Prison for Attempted Second Degree Murder
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensGabriel Torres-Martinez, 34, was sentenced to 30 Years Florida State Prison. A Polk County Jury found Torres-Martinez guilty of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, and Tampering with a Witness. On February 13th, 2020, the victim was sitting in his girlfriend’s front yard when the defendant drove up and started a verbal altercation that soon […]
State Attorney Brian Haas Warns Parents of Children who play Fortnite
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensA Polk County, Florida 11 year-old child was victimized by a 35 year-old women from Indiana after they met playing the game Fortnite. In late 2020, Tabitha Palmer began chatting with the child through the online game. Palmer knew that the child was 11 years-old. The initial conversations were fairly basic, but over time, Palmer […]