DEATH PENALTY RECOMMENDATION FOR DEFENDANT IN 2002 FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CASE
(Orange County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office announces the death penalty recommendation by jurors in the murder conviction of 59-year-old DeMorris Andy Hunter. Last week, in the courtroom of Judge Lisa T. Munyon, prosecutors Richard Buxman and Kenneth Nunnelley presented the case against Hunter for the […]
225 YEARS IN PRISON FOR LAKE COUNTY MAN IN POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
(Lake County, FL) Today, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office of State Attorney Bill Gladson announces the conviction and sentencing of 55-year-old John Joseph Marchlewski. In the courtroom of Judge Brian Welke, jurors found Marchlewski guilty on all 15 counts of Possession of Child Pornography (10 or More Images). Marchlewski was consecutively sentenced to […]
PIRELA SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER
(Lake County, FL) Yesterday, 26-year-old Brandon Pirela was sentenced to 25 years in the Florida Department of Corrections after being found guilty of Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm and Conspiracy to Commit Murder following a jury trial in January. The evidence presented at trial established that Pirela carried out a deliberate attempt to […]
GATES SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL BATTERY OF A CHILD
(Marion County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit announces a guilty verdict in the case against 43-year-old Donald Ronald Gates III, of Ocala, Florida. On April 9, 2026, a jury found Gates guilty of Human Trafficking of a Child for Commercial Sexual Activity of a Child, Lewd or Lascivious Molestation […]
MENDEZ CONVICTED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
(Lake County, FL) On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, a jury found 41-year-old Xavier Mendez guilty of twelve felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Brian J. Welke ordered Mendez into custody to await his sentencing hearing. In July of 2024, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) received a cyber tip from the National […]
COBB CONVICTED IN FATAL DUI CASE
(Marion County, FL) Thursday afternoon, jurors rendered their verdict in the case against 32-year-old Justin Cobb, who tragically took the life of 75-year-old Elfriede Meyer. Jurors found Cobb guilty on all three counts, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Manslaughter, and two counts of Driving Under the Influence with Serious Bodily Injury. “Our thoughts remain […]
GUILTY VERDICT AND SENTENCE IN LAKE COUNTY SEXUAL BATTERY CASE
(Lake County, FL) On Monday, 43-year-old Ivan Rodriguez Pagan was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by 5 years of probation. Pagan was found guilty back in January on all charges, including two counts of Sexual Battery upon a person 12-18 Years of Age, Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child Victim, Indecent, Lewd, […]
JEROEN COOMBS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER OF PAISLEY BROWN
(Marion County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit announces the grand jury indictment of 32-year-old Jeroen Jarrel Coombs of Citra, FL. A grand jury was convened to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to charge Coombs for the murder of 3-year-old Paisley Brown and the abuse of four additional child […]
MARION MAN FOUND GUILTY OF DOMESTIC BATTERY BY STRANGULATION
(Marion County, FL) Today, the Office of State Attorney Bill Gladson for the Fifth Judicial Circuit announces a guilty verdict in the case against 38-year-old Kevin Thomas McDonough. After the one-day jury trial on March 24, 2026, jurors found McDonough guilty of Domestic Battery by Strangulation. McDonough was sentenced to five years in the Florida […]
BUSHNELL MAN SENTENCED TO SEVEN CONSECUTIVE LIFE SENTENCES IN CHILD SEXUAL BATTERY CASE
(Sumter County, FL) Yesterday, Judge Mary P. Hatcher sentenced 49-year-old Brian Keith Winton to seven Life sentences in the Florida Department of Corrections and designated Winton a Sexual Predator. Winton was charged and convicted of three counts of Sexual Battery upon a Child under 12 years of age and four counts of Lewd and Lascivious […]