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.
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 […]
Bartow Man Convicted and Sentenced to 10 Years Florida State Prison
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensJohnvonte Bell, 33, was convicted and sentenced to Ten Years Florida State Prison for Aggravated Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, Two Counts of Child Abuse and multiple other charges. When the Lakeland Police Department tried to conduct a routine traffic stop Bell accelerated his vehicle nearly missing one of the LPD officer’s leg and […]
Justice Served- Fourth Defendant, Jovan Lamb Convicted and Sentenced to Five Life Sentences
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensJovan Lamb, 37, was convicted of two counts of first-degree for the fatal stabbings of a mother and daughter in Haines City in 2015. Lamb and three co-defendants robbed an Auburndale pawn shop at gunpoint on January 15th, 2015, then led police on a high-speed chase to the Chanler Ridge Subdivision where the two women […]
Hardee County Courthouse Phone Lines Down
/in SAO10 Blog /by Jamie OwensThe Hardee County Courthouse phone lines are currently down due to Hurricane Ian. If you need to speak with someone at the State Attorney’s Office please contact the Bartow Office at (863) 534-4800.