A Winter Haven man was sentenced to seven years in prison in October for trafficking more than $2,000 in methamphetamine.
Alan Stroh
Alan Stroh, 56, was found guilty Oct. 14 after six jurors deliberated for about two hours. Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Stroh following the conviction.
Assistant State Attorney Michael Nutter prosecuted the case. Nutter told jurors that Stroh was caught “red handed” with the drugs.
Stroh was arrested during a traffic stop by a Polk County Sheriff’s detective on Jan. 10 in Winter Haven. When deputies approached the car, Stroh was seen sitting in the backseat of a car. Once Stroh exited the car, deputies saw two bags of pills where Stroh had been sitting.
Stroh told detectives the pills belonged to the driver, not him.
But Nutter said during the trial that the 201 pills was something that an owner would have wanted nearby.
“If the meth in the back seat did belong to the driver or passenger, then you would expect them to keep them in a place where they can maintain control over them,” Nutter said.
A test at the stop determined the pills were positive for methamphetamine, and Stroh was arrested and charged with trafficking.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Nutter and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1118stroh.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-11-18 09:24:302020-11-18 09:24:30Winter Haven man sentenced to 7 years for trafficking methamphetamine
A Winter Haven man, who stabbed two roommates with a box cutter in 2018, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Justin Handshoe, 35, pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, which are second degree felonies.
Justin Handshoe
Handshoe attacked his roommates, a man and a woman, several days after he moved out of the apartment in May, 2018. Handshoe said he needed to move out because he lost his job. When he returned, the roommates thought he was picking up his belongings from the Winter Haven apartment.
For unknown reasons, Handshoe, upon entering the home, said, “Sorry, I got to do this,” and cut the man’s throat. When the woman jumped on Handshoe in an attempt to help the man, Handshoe stabbed her in the head before running from the home.
Both victims have fully recovered from their injuries.
Assistant State Attorney William Beaver prosecuted the case.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Beaver and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/0920handshoe.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-09-14 11:18:432020-09-14 11:18:43Man who attacked roommates with box cutter sentenced to 17 years
A 54-year-old Lakeland man who stalked a 19-year-old woman on Instagram for months has been sentenced to 3½-years in prison.
Eric Cerruti pleaded no contest to the charge of written threats to kill or do bodily harm, a second degree felony. In addition to the prison sentence, Circuit Judge Michael McDaniel sentenced Cerruti in July to six years of probation, which includes not having any devices with Internet capabilities and no contact with the victim.
Assistant State Attorney Tim Coleman prosecuted the case.
The stalking began in August, 2018 ,when Cerruti told the victim over Instagram that he saw her “around Lakeland a lot” and planned to “put a bullet” to her head. The victim told Polk Sheriff’s detectives that she thought the stalking had ended after she blocked the suspect.
In October, 2018, the victim again received threatening messages on Instagram from a different Instagram username. This time, Cerruti sent a picture of himself to her while he was holding a knife. Detectives tracked the suspect to his home in Lakeland where he told law enforcement he picked random people to troll on Instagram, and had made dozens of accounts because he continued to be blocked. He told law enforcement that he had a drinking problem, but “didn’t want to use that as an excuse,” according to an arrest report.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Coleman and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/0807cerruti.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-08-07 15:05:322020-08-07 15:05:32Lakeland Instagram stalker sentenced to prison
A Lake Wales man was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Johnny Emmons, 29, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography, a second degree felony, and also admitted to violating his probation from a 2015 child porn case.
In January, 2019, the Sheriff’s Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that included images and videos from Emmons’ Tumblr account. The files showed young children having sex with adults and other children.
Detectives tracked Emmons to an apartment in Lake Wales where they searched the home and found a cell phone with images of child pornography.
Circuit Judge William Sites sentenced Emmons, who also was designated a sexual predator by Sites because this was his second qualifying sexual offense.
Assistant State Attorney Monica Smith prosecuted the case.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Smith and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/0728emmons.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-07-28 11:18:472020-07-28 11:18:47Lake Wales man sentenced to 15 years for having child porn
State Attorney Brian Haas congratulates Assistant State Attorney Heather Beato on her appointment to the 10th Judicial Circuit bench. ASA Beato, a prosecutor in the Sebring office, has been with the State Attorney’s Office since graduating from the Florida State University College of Law in 2002.
Heather Beato
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/0701beato.jpg408291john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-07-01 10:04:292020-07-01 10:05:14Longtime Assistant State Attorney appointed to Circuit bench
Assistant State Attorney Kristie Ducharme secured a conviction in March when jurors found a 30-year-old Auburndale man guilty of fatally shooting a man during a home invasion robbery.
Andre Warner, one of four co-defendants in the case, now faces the death penalty for shooting and killing Adam Hilarie in 2016.
A new 12-person jury will be chosen in the coming months to decide whether to recommend a death sentence for Warner. Circuit Judge Jalal Harb dismissed the initial jury because of delays due to the coronavirus. Harb will make the final decision if jurors recommend Warner be sentenced to death.
After a three-week trial, jurors deliberated three hours before reaching a guilty verdict. Warner was convicted of first degree murder, robbery with a firearm, burglary to a dwelling with a weapon, and conspiracy armed robbery with a firearm.
Ducharme said in her closing arguments that jurors had received substantial evidence to convict Warner.
“Ask yourself one question: if you have any reasonable doubt in your minds that Andre Warner is not the one responsible for robbing and murder Adam,” Ducharme said. “I’m confident based on the evidence that the answer to that question is no.”
The trial received national attention.
The victim met Hailey Bustos through a dating website, then went on a date with her on Aug. 19, 2016. After their date, Bustos, Warner and other co-defendants went to the victim’s apartment to rob him. During testimony, Bustos said Warner fired a single gunshot into the back of the victim’s head.
Ducharme said the victim, the father of a 5-year-old girl, begged for his life because he had a daughter.
“The fear [he] must have felt in that moment,” Ducharme said. Ducharme had said that when Warner and co-defendants returned to the car, they were laughing that the victim had begged for his life.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Ducharme and the Auburndale Police Department for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/0414warner.jpg600480john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2020-04-15 11:41:262020-04-15 11:41:26Auburndale man convicted of fatally shooting man during home invasion
Winter Haven man sentenced to 7 years for trafficking methamphetamine
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA Winter Haven man was sentenced to seven years in prison in October for trafficking more than $2,000 in methamphetamine.
Alan Stroh
Alan Stroh, 56, was found guilty Oct. 14 after six jurors deliberated for about two hours. Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Stroh following the conviction.
Assistant State Attorney Michael Nutter prosecuted the case. Nutter told jurors that Stroh was caught “red handed” with the drugs.
Stroh was arrested during a traffic stop by a Polk County Sheriff’s detective on Jan. 10 in Winter Haven. When deputies approached the car, Stroh was seen sitting in the backseat of a car. Once Stroh exited the car, deputies saw two bags of pills where Stroh had been sitting.
Stroh told detectives the pills belonged to the driver, not him.
But Nutter said during the trial that the 201 pills was something that an owner would have wanted nearby.
“If the meth in the back seat did belong to the driver or passenger, then you would expect them to keep them in a place where they can maintain control over them,” Nutter said.
A test at the stop determined the pills were positive for methamphetamine, and Stroh was arrested and charged with trafficking.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Nutter and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
Man who attacked roommates with box cutter sentenced to 17 years
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissA Winter Haven man, who stabbed two roommates with a box cutter in 2018, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Justin Handshoe, 35, pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, which are second degree felonies.
Justin Handshoe
Handshoe attacked his roommates, a man and a woman, several days after he moved out of the apartment in May, 2018. Handshoe said he needed to move out because he lost his job. When he returned, the roommates thought he was picking up his belongings from the Winter Haven apartment.
For unknown reasons, Handshoe, upon entering the home, said, “Sorry, I got to do this,” and cut the man’s throat. When the woman jumped on Handshoe in an attempt to help the man, Handshoe stabbed her in the head before running from the home.
Both victims have fully recovered from their injuries.
Assistant State Attorney William Beaver prosecuted the case.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Beaver and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
Lakeland Instagram stalker sentenced to prison
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissEric Cerruti
A 54-year-old Lakeland man who stalked a 19-year-old woman on Instagram for months has been sentenced to 3½-years in prison.
Eric Cerruti pleaded no contest to the charge of written threats to kill or do bodily harm, a second degree felony. In addition to the prison sentence, Circuit Judge Michael McDaniel sentenced Cerruti in July to six years of probation, which includes not having any devices with Internet capabilities and no contact with the victim.
Assistant State Attorney Tim Coleman prosecuted the case.
The stalking began in August, 2018 ,when Cerruti told the victim over Instagram that he saw her “around Lakeland a lot” and planned to “put a bullet” to her head. The victim told Polk Sheriff’s detectives that she thought the stalking had ended after she blocked the suspect.
In October, 2018, the victim again received threatening messages on Instagram from a different Instagram username. This time, Cerruti sent a picture of himself to her while he was holding a knife. Detectives tracked the suspect to his home in Lakeland where he told law enforcement he picked random people to troll on Instagram, and had made dozens of accounts because he continued to be blocked. He told law enforcement that he had a drinking problem, but “didn’t want to use that as an excuse,” according to an arrest report.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Coleman and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
Lake Wales man sentenced to 15 years for having child porn
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissJohnny Emmons
A Lake Wales man was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Johnny Emmons, 29, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography, a second degree felony, and also admitted to violating his probation from a 2015 child porn case.
In January, 2019, the Sheriff’s Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that included images and videos from Emmons’ Tumblr account. The files showed young children having sex with adults and other children.
Detectives tracked Emmons to an apartment in Lake Wales where they searched the home and found a cell phone with images of child pornography.
Circuit Judge William Sites sentenced Emmons, who also was designated a sexual predator by Sites because this was his second qualifying sexual offense.
Assistant State Attorney Monica Smith prosecuted the case.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Smith and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
Longtime Assistant State Attorney appointed to Circuit bench
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissState Attorney Brian Haas congratulates Assistant State Attorney Heather Beato on her appointment to the 10th Judicial Circuit bench. ASA Beato, a prosecutor in the Sebring office, has been with the State Attorney’s Office since graduating from the Florida State University College of Law in 2002.
Heather Beato
Auburndale man convicted of fatally shooting man during home invasion
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissAndre Warner
Assistant State Attorney Kristie Ducharme secured a conviction in March when jurors found a 30-year-old Auburndale man guilty of fatally shooting a man during a home invasion robbery.
Andre Warner, one of four co-defendants in the case, now faces the death penalty for shooting and killing Adam Hilarie in 2016.
A new 12-person jury will be chosen in the coming months to decide whether to recommend a death sentence for Warner. Circuit Judge Jalal Harb dismissed the initial jury because of delays due to the coronavirus. Harb will make the final decision if jurors recommend Warner be sentenced to death.
After a three-week trial, jurors deliberated three hours before reaching a guilty verdict. Warner was convicted of first degree murder, robbery with a firearm, burglary to a dwelling with a weapon, and conspiracy armed robbery with a firearm.
Ducharme said in her closing arguments that jurors had received substantial evidence to convict Warner.
“Ask yourself one question: if you have any reasonable doubt in your minds that Andre Warner is not the one responsible for robbing and murder Adam,” Ducharme said. “I’m confident based on the evidence that the answer to that question is no.”
The trial received national attention.
The victim met Hailey Bustos through a dating website, then went on a date with her on Aug. 19, 2016. After their date, Bustos, Warner and other co-defendants went to the victim’s apartment to rob him. During testimony, Bustos said Warner fired a single gunshot into the back of the victim’s head.
Ducharme said the victim, the father of a 5-year-old girl, begged for his life because he had a daughter.
“The fear [he] must have felt in that moment,” Ducharme said. Ducharme had said that when Warner and co-defendants returned to the car, they were laughing that the victim had begged for his life.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Ducharme and the Auburndale Police Department for their work on the case.