A Sebring man convicted in May of sexually assaulting a girl has been sentenced to life in prison.
Jose Angel Sanchez, 53, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of sexual battery after jurors deliberated for about an hour.
County Court Judge Anthony Ritenour recently sentenced Sanchez to two separate life sentences for each count.
Assistant State Attorney Courtney Lenhart prosecuted the case. During the trial Lenhart told jurors how the victim reported the sexual abuse by writing a letter to a teacher. The victim
said the abuse began when she was seven-years-old and continued until she was 14.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Courtney Lenhart and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1003sanchez.jpg385313john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-10-03 14:06:282019-10-03 14:06:28Sebring man sentenced to life for sexually assaulting girl
A former bus attendant for the Polk County School District was convicted Thursday of abusing a special needs student by pulling her hair, hitting her on the head and sitting on her.
Brenda Nelson is expected to be sentenced Nov. 1 by Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen for the child abuse conviction. Jurors deliberated for about 30 minutes before returning with the conviction.
Nelson, 67, faces up to five years in prison.
Assistant State Attorney Monica Smith prosecuted the case.
Smith told jurors during closing arguments that the 95-pound, 12-year-old student was helpless when Nelson abused her.
“I’m not here to say that Miss Nelson is a bad person, but I’m here to tell you that she went too far that day,” Smith said.
A video Smith played for jurors showed the abuse.
On Nov. 8, 2017 the girl and other special needs students were riding home on the bus from the Doris Sanders Learning Center. When the girl, who was strapped into a harness, began yelling, Nelson warned her to be quiet. The girl continued making noise, Nelson whacked her on the head and walked to the rear of the bus.
Nelson was then heard telling the girl she planned to “slap the tongue out of your mouth” before yanking her hair back and forth repeatedly.
At one point, Nelson said to the girl, “I’m not playing.” Finally, Nelson returned to the girl’s seat and sat on her, lunging into the girl with a knee.
Smith said Nelson, of Polk City, took the discipline too far, describing how the girl could have been seriously injured because of a recent surgery she underwent.
“There was nothing that would have been accomplished by doing that,” Smith said.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Smith and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/0926nelson.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-09-26 17:16:512019-09-26 17:30:20Former bus attendant convicted of abusing special needs child
A jury trial was set to begin Monday in the animal cruelty case against Genar Smith, who was accused of starving his dogs to the point of emaciation.
Lakeland police officers found the starving dogs at Smith’s home after a neighbor saw a dog in a cage being eaten by two other dogs.
When an officer arrived at the home, he found six pit bulls locked up. The dogs were starving; with their rib cages and hip bones visible under their skin. There was no water or food in their bowls. Later, a Polk County animal control officer determined that hunger provoked the case of cannibalism. Smith was later forced to surrender his dogs to Animal Control.
The State Attorney’s Office did not make a plea offer to the defendant. Without a plea offer, Smith decided to forgo a trial and plead guilty to Circuit Judge Keith Spoto. Smith’s sentence was left to the sole discretion of Judge Spoto. Smith plead guilty to two counts of felony animal cruelty and four counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, followed by 42 months of probation. It was also ordered that he can no longer own any animals.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/0924smith.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-09-24 14:04:222019-09-24 14:05:32Lakeland man sentenced for starving, neglecting dogs
A California man was convicted Wednesday of smuggling 15 pounds of methamphetamine in a Kia Soul from the Los Angeles area to Polk County.
Ramon Valenzuela, 36, carried the drugs in spaces behind the door panels of the car. He faces up to 30 years in prison after jurors deliberated for about an hour and found him guilty of the charge of trafficking more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Circuit Judge Neil Roddenbery is scheduled to sentence Valenzuela on Nov. 4.
Assistant State Attorney Jessica Fisher prosecuted the case. The methamphetamine was worth about $600,000.
Valenzuela, who before trial had argued that he and his wife were threatened and coerced to transport the drugs, was arrested in Davenport during an undercover drug purchase by Polk County Sheriff’s detectives on Feb. 20. At the time of the arrest, Valenzuela told detectives he was paid $9,000 to transport the drugs.
Detectives saw him remove the door panels from the interior of the car then pull out a total of five sealed bags from each of the car’s three doors.
During the trial, Valenzuela’s story changed. His lawyer argued that Valenzuela thought he was transporting money, not drugs.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Fisher and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/0920valenzuela.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-09-20 10:04:522019-09-20 10:04:52California man convicted of smuggling 15 pounds of meth valued at $600,000
A Winter Haven man pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually molesting three girls on numerous occasions in 2017.
Following the plea, David Kelly Whitchard, 32, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Neil Roddenbery to 25 years in prison followed by a lifetime of sexual predator probation. He pleaded guilty to three counts of lewd molestation.
Assistant State Attorney Randall Daugustinis prosecuted the case.
The girls ranged in age from 8 to 11-years-old.
In December, 2017, Whitchard checked into Winter Haven Hospital to tell staff that for the last year he had been molesting three children.
Winter Haven Police were called to the hospital where Whitchard confessed. Whitchard continued telling a detective that he had a drinking problem, did not remember some things he had done, and often felt remorseful for what he had done to the children.
Whitchard was later arrested.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Randall Daugustinis and Winter Haven Police for their work in the case.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/0912whitcahrd.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-09-12 15:01:022019-09-13 10:55:59Winter Haven man sentenced to 25 years for molesting 3 girls
An Orlando man who had lengthy sexually explicit text exchanges with a Polk Sheriff’s detective posing as a 14-year-old girl then traveled 30 miles to meet the teen faces up to 30 years in prison after his conviction on Thursday.
Joseph Mujica, 55, was convicted of two second degree felonies, traveling to meet a minor and attempted lewd battery. A six-member jury deliberated for one hour before reaching a verdict.
Circuit Court Judge Donald Jacobsen is expected to sentence Mujica on October 3.
Assistant State Attorney Jacob Orr prosecuted the case.
During the trial, Orr described a sexually explicit correspondence in 2018 on MocoSpace, a social networking site, between Mujica and the undercover Sheriff’s detective posing as a girl named, “KT.”
After two days of texting, Mujica drove to Davenport to meet the girl. When he reached the front door of the home in Davenport, he was arrested by Sheriff’s detectives.
Mujica attempted to defend himself during the trial. He told jurors that he didn’t believe he was chatting with a teen even though the detective described himself as a teen during the text exchanges.
During closing arguments, Orr asked jurors to use common sense during deliberations.
“Why did he go?” Orr asked. “Common sense tells you he went to have sex with a person 14 years-old named K.T.”
“He didn’t drive 44 minutes at 9 on a Friday night because it might be someone else,” Orr said.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Orr and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on obtaining a conviction.
https://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/0906mujica.jpg512414john chamblisshttps://www.sao10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Office-of-the-State-Attorney-10th-Judicial-Circuit-Logo.pngjohn chambliss2019-09-06 16:17:212019-09-06 16:17:21Orlando man convicted of attempted lewd battery, traveling to meet minor
Sebring man sentenced to life for sexually assaulting girl
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissJose Sanchez
A Sebring man convicted in May of sexually assaulting a girl has been sentenced to life in prison.
Jose Angel Sanchez, 53, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of sexual battery after jurors deliberated for about an hour.
County Court Judge Anthony Ritenour recently sentenced Sanchez to two separate life sentences for each count.
Assistant State Attorney Courtney Lenhart prosecuted the case. During the trial Lenhart told jurors how the victim reported the sexual abuse by writing a letter to a teacher. The victim
said the abuse began when she was seven-years-old and continued until she was 14.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Courtney Lenhart and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
Former bus attendant convicted of abusing special needs child
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissBrenda Nelson
A former bus attendant for the Polk County School District was convicted Thursday of abusing a special needs student by pulling her hair, hitting her on the head and sitting on her.
Brenda Nelson is expected to be sentenced Nov. 1 by Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen for the child abuse conviction. Jurors deliberated for about 30 minutes before returning with the conviction.
Nelson, 67, faces up to five years in prison.
Assistant State Attorney Monica Smith prosecuted the case.
Smith told jurors during closing arguments that the 95-pound, 12-year-old student was helpless when Nelson abused her.
“I’m not here to say that Miss Nelson is a bad person, but I’m here to tell you that she went too far that day,” Smith said.
A video Smith played for jurors showed the abuse.
On Nov. 8, 2017 the girl and other special needs students were riding home on the bus from the Doris Sanders Learning Center. When the girl, who was strapped into a harness, began yelling, Nelson warned her to be quiet. The girl continued making noise, Nelson whacked her on the head and walked to the rear of the bus.
Nelson was then heard telling the girl she planned to “slap the tongue out of your mouth” before yanking her hair back and forth repeatedly.
At one point, Nelson said to the girl, “I’m not playing.” Finally, Nelson returned to the girl’s seat and sat on her, lunging into the girl with a knee.
Smith said Nelson, of Polk City, took the discipline too far, describing how the girl could have been seriously injured because of a recent surgery she underwent.
“There was nothing that would have been accomplished by doing that,” Smith said.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Smith and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
Lakeland man sentenced for starving, neglecting dogs
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissGenar Smith
A jury trial was set to begin Monday in the animal cruelty case against Genar Smith, who was accused of starving his dogs to the point of emaciation.
Lakeland police officers found the starving dogs at Smith’s home after a neighbor saw a dog in a cage being eaten by two other dogs.
When an officer arrived at the home, he found six pit bulls locked up. The dogs were starving; with their rib cages and hip bones visible under their skin. There was no water or food in their bowls. Later, a Polk County animal control officer determined that hunger provoked the case of cannibalism. Smith was later forced to surrender his dogs to Animal Control.
The State Attorney’s Office did not make a plea offer to the defendant. Without a plea offer, Smith decided to forgo a trial and plead guilty to Circuit Judge Keith Spoto. Smith’s sentence was left to the sole discretion of Judge Spoto. Smith plead guilty to two counts of felony animal cruelty and four counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, followed by 42 months of probation. It was also ordered that he can no longer own any animals.
California man convicted of smuggling 15 pounds of meth valued at $600,000
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissRamon Valenzuela
A California man was convicted Wednesday of smuggling 15 pounds of methamphetamine in a Kia Soul from the Los Angeles area to Polk County.
Ramon Valenzuela, 36, carried the drugs in spaces behind the door panels of the car. He faces up to 30 years in prison after jurors deliberated for about an hour and found him guilty of the charge of trafficking more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Circuit Judge Neil Roddenbery is scheduled to sentence Valenzuela on Nov. 4.
Assistant State Attorney Jessica Fisher prosecuted the case. The methamphetamine was worth about $600,000.
Valenzuela, who before trial had argued that he and his wife were threatened and coerced to transport the drugs, was arrested in Davenport during an undercover drug purchase by Polk County Sheriff’s detectives on Feb. 20. At the time of the arrest, Valenzuela told detectives he was paid $9,000 to transport the drugs.
Detectives saw him remove the door panels from the interior of the car then pull out a total of five sealed bags from each of the car’s three doors.
During the trial, Valenzuela’s story changed. His lawyer argued that Valenzuela thought he was transporting money, not drugs.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Fisher and Polk Sheriff’s detectives for their work on the case.
Winter Haven man sentenced to 25 years for molesting 3 girls
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissDavid Whitchard
A Winter Haven man pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually molesting three girls on numerous occasions in 2017.
Following the plea, David Kelly Whitchard, 32, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Neil Roddenbery to 25 years in prison followed by a lifetime of sexual predator probation. He pleaded guilty to three counts of lewd molestation.
Assistant State Attorney Randall Daugustinis prosecuted the case.
The girls ranged in age from 8 to 11-years-old.
In December, 2017, Whitchard checked into Winter Haven Hospital to tell staff that for the last year he had been molesting three children.
Winter Haven Police were called to the hospital where Whitchard confessed. Whitchard continued telling a detective that he had a drinking problem, did not remember some things he had done, and often felt remorseful for what he had done to the children.
Whitchard was later arrested.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney Randall Daugustinis and Winter Haven Police for their work in the case.
Orlando man convicted of attempted lewd battery, traveling to meet minor
/in SAO10 Blog /by john chamblissJoseph Mujica
An Orlando man who had lengthy sexually explicit text exchanges with a Polk Sheriff’s detective posing as a 14-year-old girl then traveled 30 miles to meet the teen faces up to 30 years in prison after his conviction on Thursday.
Joseph Mujica, 55, was convicted of two second degree felonies, traveling to meet a minor and attempted lewd battery. A six-member jury deliberated for one hour before reaching a verdict.
Circuit Court Judge Donald Jacobsen is expected to sentence Mujica on October 3.
Assistant State Attorney Jacob Orr prosecuted the case.
During the trial, Orr described a sexually explicit correspondence in 2018 on MocoSpace, a social networking site, between Mujica and the undercover Sheriff’s detective posing as a girl named, “KT.”
After two days of texting, Mujica drove to Davenport to meet the girl. When he reached the front door of the home in Davenport, he was arrested by Sheriff’s detectives.
Mujica attempted to defend himself during the trial. He told jurors that he didn’t believe he was chatting with a teen even though the detective described himself as a teen during the text exchanges.
During closing arguments, Orr asked jurors to use common sense during deliberations.
“Why did he go?” Orr asked. “Common sense tells you he went to have sex with a person 14 years-old named K.T.”
“He didn’t drive 44 minutes at 9 on a Friday night because it might be someone else,” Orr said.
State Attorney Brian Haas thanks ASA Orr and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their work on obtaining a conviction.