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(Hernando County, FL) On December 18, 2025, 50-year-old Kevin Christopher Hanrahan was sentenced to Life in the Florida Department of Corrections. Hanrahan was found guilty after trial, back in October, of  Lewd and Lascivious Conduct and four counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child Under 12.

Back in January of 2024, it was reported to Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) officials that a sex offense had occurred involving two children. Officials spoke with both juvenile victims, who recounted two different occurrences of the defendant’s illicit behavior. Both victims were still wearing the same clothing they were in during the offense. Officials collected the clothing for analysis and found the defendant’s DNA on the inside of victim one’s shorts.

The victims then advised of two additional victims that Hanrahan had also molested. Interviews were set up with the third and fourth victims, who disclosed to investigators acts of inappropriate touching by Hanrahan. The events recounted by all four victims were consistent with one another. Due to the four separate disclosures, there was sufficient evidence established for the defendant’s arrest.

Assistant State Attorney Angelina Rodeo successfully prosecuted the case.

Published on 12/29/2025.

(Marion County, FL) After a one-day jury trial, 42-year-old James Marion Brady has been found guilty on all charges related to a pursuit by law enforcement back in 2024. Brady was convicted of Burglary of an Authorized Emergency Vehicle, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, and Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle. Judge Peter M. Brigham sentenced the defendant to 20 years in prison.

The case against Brady stems from the events of October 26, 2024, when he stole a law enforcement vehicle and led deputies on a high-speed chase. Originally, deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious incident off SE 59^th Street in Ocala. Upon arrival, they made contact with the defendant, who advised that he needed assistance. Brady informed officials he had ‘done drugs’ and needed to be seen by medical personnel.

While waiting for emergency medical services, the defendant got off the ground and ran towards the deputies’ parked patrol vehicles. Brady gained access inside one of the vehicles before fleeing. A brief, high-speed chase ensued before the vehicle was immobilized, and the defendant was arrested. 

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Meredith Poisson and Madison Bryan.

Published on 12/18/2025.

(Lake County, FL) Today, December 17, 2025, jurors delivered their verdict in the 2024 murder case of 51-year-old Raied Shihadeh.  After nearly three hours of deliberation, jurors found 26-year-old Alex Lopez guilty of First-Degree Murder and Robbery with a Firearm. Judge Brian Welke sentenced Lopez to Life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Less than a hundred dollars is what this ruthless, wanna be thug valued over the victim’s life,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “While this verdict, nor ANY amount of money, can’t bring the victim back, we hope his family finds comfort in knowing this killer won’t walk free again.”

On May 30, 2024, officers with the Leesburg Police Department responded to the M & M Food Mart convenience store located off Picciola Road in Leesburg, FL. Law enforcement was advised of a robbery with a possible gunshot victim. When officials entered the store, they located Shihadeh lying on the ground behind the front counter. He had a gunshot wound to the abdomen and head. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim by helicopter to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Officers spoke with a witness on scene who advised she had just entered the store and heard screaming coming from what sounded like a cell phone. When she looked behind the counter, she saw the victim and the phone. Detectives were able to determine that the victim was on a FaceTime call with his wife at the time of the incident.

Surveillance footage was collected from the business, where it showed a face-covered male entering the store brandishing a firearm before shooting the victim. The unknown, masked male then proceeded to take money from the register and a vape product before fleeing.  During their investigation, officials disseminated photos of the suspect in a public bulletin asking for information identifying the shooter.

A couple of days later, detectives received multiple tips identifying the shooter as Lopez, the defendant. Authorities attempted to make contact with Lopez with negative results, and an arrest warrant was issued. On June 26, 2024, law enforcement arrested the defendant at the Sunshine Inn motel in Kissimmee, FL.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Ken Nunnelley and Rachel Jones. A special thank you to the law enforcement personnel for their diligent efforts in investigating this case, as well as the public’s assistance in identifying and reporting the defendant.

Published on 12/17/2025.

(Marion County, FL) On Friday, December 12, 2025, a jury found 45-year-old Michael Alton McMasters guilty of twenty felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Willard Pope ordered McMasters into custody to await his sentencing hearing, which will take place after a presentence investigation is completed. 

In January of 2024, law enforcement officials at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating an online user had uploaded files containing apparent child pornography.

During their investigation, officials were able to determine that the defendant was the owner of the account. Detectives responded to McMasters’ residence off Southwest 30^th Terrace, where they made contact with the defendant, who was residing in a camper trailer on the property.

In speaking with McMasters, detectives revealed the reason for their investigation. McMasters denied any knowledge of child sex abuse material being uploaded before refusing further questions by officials. McMasters was taken into custody, and multiple devices from within the home were seized as evidence.

An MCSO Digital Forensic Technician completed a forensic exam of the defendant’s devices and located the aforementioned files.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Samantha Wahba and Drew Brandies.

Published on 12/16/2025.

(Marion County, FL) On December 11, 2025, a Marion County jury found 24-year-old Henry Jonathan Valencia guilty of Second-Degree Murder with a Firearm. The defendant was sentenced to Life in prison following his conviction.

Back in May of this year, multiple deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) responded to the Petro Gas Station off Highway 318 in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim, later identified as 17-year-old Nosiah Santos, lying on the ground next to a gas pump.

Medical treatment was rendered to the victim on scene, who was trauma alerted to a hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. Officials spoke to a caller on the scene, who informed deputies she video recorded the suspect running from the area after the shooting. The video was collected as evidence.

Also on scene was the victim’s mother, who indicated she was on the phone with the victim at the time of the altercation.  She told law enforcement that the victim called her and indicated that he wanted her to pick him up, that he was done with Valencia.  Upon hearing this, she asked where the victim was. After receiving his location, she proceeded to drive to him and stayed on the phone. While traveling to get her son, the phone went silent.

During their investigation, detectives learned that the defendant and victim had been in a dating relationship for approximately four months. Valencia picked up the victim earlier that day from the victim’s mother’s residence to travel back to Jacksonville. During their travels, the defendant and the victim began to argue over another male. At this time, the defendant stopped at the gas station where the victim got out and was on the phone with his mother. The defendant shot the victim while the victim sat, waiting for his mother to arrive. The defendant fled the scene.

The victim’s family was familiar with the defendant and informed law enforcement that he resided in Jacksonville. Law enforcement made contact with Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies, who located Valencia. He was interviewed regarding the incident and subsequently arrested in this case.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon.  

Published 12/15/2025.

(Marion County, FL) Yesterday afternoon, jurors delivered their verdict in the 2023 murder case of 40-year-old Wayne Barlow.  After a brief deliberation of the evidence presented and compelling testimony by 39-year-old co-defendant Jessica Lynn Long, jurors found 48-year-old Michael Montgomery Jr. guilty of First-Degree Murder with a Firearm. Montgomery was also convicted of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, Driving while License Suspended or Revoked, and Resisting Law Enforcement Officer. The defendant was sentenced to Life in prison.

On June 27, 2023, Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputies were called to an area off NW 77^th Terrace in Ocala, in reference to a deceased male. Upon arrival, officials were informed by the 9-1-1 caller that he was in the area, traveling home, when he observed what he thought to be a dead hog on the side of the road. Upon getting a better look, the reportee realized it was a human body. MCSO’s Forensics Unit and Major Crimes Detectives, as well as the Medical Examiner’s Office, responded to the scene.

Officials observed the victim to have an apparent gunshot wound to the side of his head. Additionally, the decedent had a black eye and other scrapes and bruises, clothing that appeared to be ripped and torn, indicating a possible fight had ensued prior to the victim’s death. Upon searching the decedent, law enforcement was able to identify the victim as Barlow.

During their investigations, detectives learned that a grey Hyundai registered to Barlow was missing. Officials entered an alert into law enforcement’s database for the vehicle. A few hours later, the Ocala Police Department (OPD) contacted MCSO detectives, advising that the vehicle was observed traveling off U.S. Hwy 441. OPD officers attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled. After a brief pursuit with the occupants attempting to flee on foot, both were arrested and identified as Montgomery and co-defendant Long.

 Both the defendant and the co-defendant were arrested and taken to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning. During an interview with co-defendant Long, she initially denied any involvement in the victim’s murder, but later informed detectives she was there during the murder. Long detailed a series of events that led up to the victim’s death, linking Montgomery as the killer. When confronted with this information during questioning, Montgomery eventually confessed to robbing the victim and indicated that the robbery got out of hand. 

After obtaining statements and comparing evidence collected from the scene to include the firearm used, as well as the forensic evidence, which revealed the defendant’s DNA on the items used to choke and hit the victim, both Montgomery and the co-defendant were arrested for the death of Barlow. Co-defendant Long is set to be sentenced to a term of 30 years in prison for her cooperation in the prosecution of this case.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Richard Buxman. Thank you to the entire Marion County Sheriff’s Office team, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Ocala Police Department for their diligent work in this case that helped secure this conviction.

Published on 12/12/2025.

(Citrus County, FL) Yesterday, in Judge Joel D. Fritton’s courtroom, after two hours of testimony and final arguments, 31-year-old Darien Andrew Hauter was sentenced to 20 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, after being found guilty of violating his probation on the original charges of; Burglary of a Dwelling with Battery, two counts of False Imprisonment, Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, and two counts of Child Abuse.

Hauter was on pretrial release at the time of his original offense for a separate felony domestic battery case and was rearrested on July 29, 2025, by Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies for Domestic Battery by Strangulation.

That day, CCSO deputies responded to a park area in downtown Inverness in response to numerous reports of a disturbance involving a male and female.  When law enforcement arrived, they were unable to make contact with the parties involved, but did identify the male as the defendant and the female as the victim.

Officials later obtained a phone number for the pair, who agreed to meet with deputies at their residence. While speaking with the victim, deputies observed the defendant’s demeanor shift, with Hauter consistently staying by the victim’s side and staring at her in what appeared to be an attempted intimidation tactic. Based on this suspicion, law enforcement separated the two.

Once the victim was safely outside of the residence and away from Hauter, she divulged to law enforcement that the defendant had accused her of cheating and had begun to physically strike and beat her. The victim stated that while attempting to leave the park area to go to the Sheriff’s Office to get help, the defendant chased her down the road, causing her to crash. At this point, the defendant jumped into the bed of the truck and forced her out of the driver’s seat. This was witnessed by the original complainant, who called into the agency’s dispatch to report the pair.

Hauter, while driving the vehicle, continued to strike the victim repeatedly before pulling over to a secluded area where he later strangled the victim unconscious. The victim indicated that the defendant woke her after being alerted that law enforcement was seeking to contact them. Hauter then instructed the victim to cover her bruises and marks with makeup before arriving to speak with law enforcement.

After observing the various injuries to the victim, officials questioned the defendant. When asked about the abnormal, visible marks on his arms, Hauter could not justify the injuries. Deputies read the defendant his Miranda warning, then Hauter invoked his rights and refused to provide a statement. Based on the injuries observed, the victim’s statement, and the independent witness statement, Hauter was arrested and charged.

The outcome of this case was a result of the diligent prosecution efforts of Assistant State Attorney Kevin Davis.

Published on 12/09/2025.

(Marion County, FL) Last week, in the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Timothy T. McCourt, jurors found 28-year-old Malachi Immanuel Stocker guilty after deliberating for less than half an hour. Stocker was convicted of Traveling to Meet a Minor, Soliciting a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Unlawful Use of a Two-way Device. He is set to be sentenced at a later time.

Stocker was originally arrested in July of 2024, following a Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) undercover online operation to target suspects who use the internet to sexually exploit children with the intention of meeting the juveniles.

During the undercover operation, MCSO Detective Terry posed as a 14-year-old male child on an online account. Stocker messaged the decoy user and after being informed of the minor’s age, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the child.

Stocker would later request to meet with the child in person to engage in sexual activities. Officials then coordinated a time and location to meet Stocker, where he was promptly arrested.  During an in-custody interview, the defendant admitted to using the online platform to message with a 14-year-old male but denied going to the meeting location to meet the minor.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Shanae Pickens. Thank you to MCSO Detective Terry for developing this lead, as well as Detective Hartigan and Corporal Perry for obtaining crucial evidence used during the trial.

Published on 12/08/2025.