London 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. He began punching the passenger side window and windshield causing each one to crack. When the victim tried to leave, the defendant pulled out a box cutter and made threats that he would beat her up if she left. Fearing for her life, the victim pulled back into her apartment building. The defendant jumped out and got into the victim’s other vehicle and began following her. The defendant struck the victim’s vehicle several times; causing extensive damage before she was able to arrive at the Winter Haven Police Department. The defendant faces 30 years Florida State Prison and possibly Life when sentenced. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Conner Hilgenfeldt and the Winter Haven Police Department for their work on this case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/London-Sir-Dangerous.png375303Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-12-19 18:00:482022-12-19 14:48:30Man Convicted of Kidnapping and Tampering with a Witness
The 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!
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_0092-2-scaled.jpg15912560Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-12-19 14:42:092022-12-19 14:42:09SAO10 Participates in Local Christmas Parades
Ivan 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 the victim to the hospital, after trying to revive her in a bath. In addition to the skull fracture, the victim had severe bruising on her entire body and a burn on her hand. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney John Kromholz and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office for their persistence in pursuing justice in this case. Sanders will never be released from prison.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Ivan-Sanders.jpg480384Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-12-06 06:00:372022-12-06 14:07:29Highlands County Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder of Four-Year-Old Girl
Gabriel 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 became physical. Torres-Martinez struck the victim on the head with a firearm and shot him twice striking him in both legs. After the incident, the defendant made threats to the victim. Thankfully the victim recovered. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Courtney Durden and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Gabriel-Torres-Martinez.jpg512414Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-12-01 06:00:192022-11-28 13:54:59Man Convicted and Sentenced to 30 Years Prison for Attempted Second Degree Murder
A 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 groomed the victim into feeling very comfortable talking to her. Palmer informed the victim that she was married and had a child of her own. She convinced the child to begin communicating with her through Discord, an online messaging app. The defendant instructed the victim to delete their conversations. Palmer sent numerous lewd photos of herself and convinced the child to do the same. She also instructed him to engage in lewd acts while on video chats with her. More than 14,300 Discord messages were exchanged between the woman and the child. These activities continued for many months. The defendant even discussed moving to Florida and getting a job close to the victim. Thankfully, the child’s parent eventually discovered some of the conversations.
The Lakeland Police Department conducted an investigation and arrested the woman. Earlier this year, the woman pled guilty to multiple charges and was sentenced to 13 years in Florida State Prison. She was designated as a Sexual Offender. She will serve an additional 15 years of Sexual Offender Probation following her release from prison. The sentence was approved by the parent of the child in an effort to avoid the child having to testify in court during a trial.
This case is an important reminder to parents of children who play any type of online game. The threat is real and can come from anywhere. State Attorney Brian Haas is grateful to the Lakeland Police Department and Assistant State Attorney Tim Coleman for their hard work and dedication in this case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Tabitha-Palmer.png690920Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-11-24 11:00:592022-11-17 15:54:40State Attorney Brian Haas Warns Parents of Children who play Fortnite
Johnvonte 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 hit the passenger side door of the police vehicle. Bell led officers in a dangerous pursuit on North Florida Ave. while his two children were inside the vehicle not safety belted in. Bell jumped from his moving vehicle and was arrested. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Bill Beaver and the Lakeland Police Department for their hard work on this case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Johnvonte-Bell.jpg512414Jamie Owenshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngJamie Owens2022-11-04 11:40:562022-11-04 11:40:56Bartow Man Convicted and Sentenced to 10 Years Florida State Prison
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. He began punching the passenger side window and windshield causing each one to crack. When the victim tried to leave, the defendant pulled out a box cutter and made threats that he would beat her up if she left. Fearing for her life, the victim pulled back into her apartment building. The defendant jumped out and got into the victim’s other vehicle and began following her. The defendant struck the victim’s vehicle several times; causing extensive damage before she was able to arrive at the Winter Haven Police Department. The defendant faces 30 years Florida State Prison and possibly Life when sentenced. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Conner Hilgenfeldt and the Winter Haven Police Department for their work on this case.
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 the victim to the hospital, after trying to revive her in a bath. In addition to the skull fracture, the victim had severe bruising on her entire body and a burn on her hand. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney John Kromholz and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office for their persistence in pursuing justice in this case. Sanders will never be released from prison.
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 became physical. Torres-Martinez struck the victim on the head with a firearm and shot him twice striking him in both legs. After the incident, the defendant made threats to the victim. Thankfully the victim recovered. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Courtney Durden and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case.
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 groomed the victim into feeling very comfortable talking to her. Palmer informed the victim that she was married and had a child of her own. She convinced the child to begin communicating with her through Discord, an online messaging app. The defendant instructed the victim to delete their conversations. Palmer sent numerous lewd photos of herself and convinced the child to do the same. She also instructed him to engage in lewd acts while on video chats with her. More than 14,300 Discord messages were exchanged between the woman and the child. These activities continued for many months. The defendant even discussed moving to Florida and getting a job close to the victim. Thankfully, the child’s parent eventually discovered some of the conversations.
The Lakeland Police Department conducted an investigation and arrested the woman. Earlier this year, the woman pled guilty to multiple charges and was sentenced to 13 years in Florida State Prison. She was designated as a Sexual Offender. She will serve an additional 15 years of Sexual Offender Probation following her release from prison. The sentence was approved by the parent of the child in an effort to avoid the child having to testify in court during a trial.
This case is an important reminder to parents of children who play any type of online game. The threat is real and can come from anywhere. State Attorney Brian Haas is grateful to the Lakeland Police Department and Assistant State Attorney Tim Coleman for their hard work and dedication in this case.
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 hit the passenger side door of the police vehicle. Bell led officers in a dangerous pursuit on North Florida Ave. while his two children were inside the vehicle not safety belted in. Bell jumped from his moving vehicle and was arrested. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Bill Beaver and the Lakeland Police Department for their hard work on this case.