Office of State Attorney, 14th Judicial Circuit

Office of State Attorney, 14th Judicial Circuit The SAO prosecutes criminal cases for Bay, Jackson, Washington, Gulf, Holmes, and Calhoun counties Joe, FL 32457
Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
We welcome your comments on our social media pages. However, the Office of State Attorney for the 14th Judicial Circuit reserves the right to remove comments that are offensive. The State Attorney’s Office has the right, with or without notice, to block access to its social media pages to any user who consistently violates the policy guidelines. USE OF OFFICE OF STATE ATTORNEY

14TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

The SAO reserves the right to edit or remove content based on the criteria listed below.
• Comments not topically related to the initial posting.
• Comments that may be considered libel, made toward any person or organization.
• Comments that contain links to third-party sites or advertisements.
• Comments that are obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, threatening in nature, or that advocate criminal behavior.
• Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation
• Sexual content or links to sexual content
• Solicitations of commerce
• Information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public, public systems, or the State Attorney's Office in any manner
• Campaign information from a candidate for elected office or information related to a candidate's personal campaign

LOCATIONS

Bay County Office:
Phone: (850) 872-4473
Fax: (850) 872-4461
421 Magnolia Avenue
Panama City, FL 32401
PO Box 1040 - 32402
Email: [email protected]
Diversion Program: [email protected]
Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Calhoun County Office:
Phone: (850) 674-4589
Fax: (850) 674-5028
PO Box 503
Blountstown, FL 32424
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Gulf County Office:
Phone: (850) 229-6131
Fax: (850) 229-1074
PO Box 922
Port St. Holmes County Office:
Phone: (850) 547-2262
Fax: (850) 547-5890
PO Box 787
Bonifay, FL 32425
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Jackson County Office:
Phone: (850) 482-9555
Fax: (850) 482-1383
PO Box 956
Marianna, FL 32447
Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Washington County Office:
Phone: (850) 638-6151
Fax: (850) 638-6039
PO Box 590
Chipley, FL 32428
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

06/17/2026

A contractor found guilty of cheating a man out of nearly $40,000 after Hurricane Michael is set for sentencing July 16.
Mark Eugene Stargardt, 66, of Stargardt and Associates, LLC in Valrico, was found of Grand Theft (more than $20,000) Tuesday after a jury deliberated about three hours.
Prosecutor Zachary VanDyke called witnesses and presented evidence proving Stargardt and his company cashed checks from the 87-year-old victim totaling about $38,000 between February 2019 and May 2019 even though, by August 2019, no work had been done on the property in 6 months.
“This has been an absolute nightmare for the victim in this case,” VanDyke said. “He did everything right and the defendant took advantage of him and continued to lead him along for months while the victim lived in a hotel. His perseverance and attention to detail – keeping track of all his records – helped make sure this defendant will be held accountable.”
RELEASE: https://sa14.fl.gov/2026/06/17/contractor-guilty-of-cheating-87-year-old-out-of-nearly-40000-post-hurricane-michael/
Thank you to the and the Bay County Sheriff's Office for its work.

06/08/2026

Luke Kirkland pled no contest to murder this morning and was sentenced to 50 years in prison before a jury could be picked to hear his case.
Kirkland, charged with Second-Degree Murder and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, is 46. His victim, Alyson Jones, was 45 at the time of the April 30, 2025 shooting.
The defendant and the victim were arguing and when she said she was leaving, he shot her.
Thank you to the Bay County Sheriff's Office for its investigation and Panama City Beach Police Department for locating the key witness.

06/05/2026

Christopher Develle Brown now has 15 years in prison to think about the decades of work he stole from a local baseball card collector.
He was found guilty of Grand Theft over $100,000. Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay Thursday also ordered the defendant to make $183,000 in restitution.
“Thirty-five years of work and passion disappeared in 3 minutes on the night of Feb. 16, 2023,” Prosecutor Zach VanDyke said. “No amount of restitution can return that to the victim. But we are glad that these thieves were held accountable and our victim was able to see justice carried out.”
RELEASE: https://sa14.fl.gov/2026/06/06/final-defendant-in-100000-baseball-card-theft-headed-to-prison/
Thanks to the Panama City Police Department for leading the investigation with the Bay County Sheriff's Office and agencies across the southeast.

06/04/2026

The third and final defendant in the robbery of more than $100,000 from a ATM is headed to prison. Traveon Ladarren Burnett was sentenced to nine years in prison for his part in the Oct. 18, 2024 crime.
Two co-defendants have already been sentenced and together the three are facing a combined 34 years behind bars.
RELEASE: https://sa14.fl.gov/2026/06/04/third-and-final-defendant-in-bonifay-atm-robbery-sentenced-to-9-years/
The three were part of a gang hitting ATMs across the country and other cases remain under investigation. The robbery was well planned and sophisticated, but the Bonifay Police Department working with the FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bay County Sheriff's Office, and other agencies tracked the suspects down.
Collaboration was key to apprehending the culprits in this case.

06/04/2026

This is another example that the drug business, even small amounts of ma*****na, is a dangerous one that can change someone's life trajectory dramatically.
Dexter Owens faces up to Life in prison under Florida's 10-20-Life Statute after being found guilty Wednesday night of shooting and robbing a man of a small amount of ma*****na.
The victim, who was selling well under an ounce of ma*****na, was paralyzed by the bullet and arrived in a wheelchair to testify.
Testimony reaffirmed that even these "small-time" deals often involve armed individuals. Florida has some of the toughest laws in the country when it comes to the use of fi****ms in a crime.
It is not worth it.
The Bay County Sheriff's Office will continue to investigate and apprehend these people and we will continue to prosecute them to keep our communities safe.

05/28/2026

Anthony Charles Hill Jr. told jurors at his April DUI-Manslaughter trial that he loved to drink and did so most every day. Today he was sentenced to the maximum 15 years in prison and his driver’s license permanently revoked.
Hill’s impaired and reckless driving took 23-year-old Javis Whipple’s life April 14, 2023. Wearing only his red boxer shorts, the defendant emerged from his totaled car claiming he had not hit anything.
Despite an estimated BAC of up to .23 – three times the legal limit – at the time of the wreck, the defendant maintained he only started drinking afterward.
“The defendant has shown no remorse nor accepted any accountability for his actions,” Graham continued. “Even on the stand he lied to avoid the consequences of his actions, and I think that’s significant. The maximum sentence is the one that keeps others on the road safe.”
Thank you to the Bay County Sheriff's Office and Florida Highway Patrol for their thorough work on both the wreck and its reconstruction.

05/23/2026

A former Bay High student who was 19 when he sexually assaulted two 14-year-old girls on school grounds in 2022 was found guilty of the charges today.
Jaques Cortez Lee will be sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Shanna Young Gay July 9.
FULL RELEASE: https://sa14.fl.gov/2026/05/22/former-student-guilty-of-sexually-assaulting-2-girls-on-campus/
The thorough investigation by the Bay County Sheriff's Office and crucial forensic interviews at the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center assisted Prosecutor Morgan McAfee in successfully presenting the case.

05/22/2026

Two former Calhoun Correctional Institution are now serving prison time in unrelated cases at the facility involving contraband and inappropriate conduct.
Amber Rabon was sentenced to 46 months. She was involved in a relationship with an inmate while also bringing in contraband like a cellphone and ci******es. She received money for the unlawful acts.
Rhonda Lynn Jones is serving 3 years now after pleading to bringing two packets of drugs into the facility in exchange for payment.
“What these two defendants were doing, while unrelated, were happening at the same facility and undermining the other employees’ ability to maintain control and order,” said Calhoun County Chief Prosecutor Joshua White. “Contraband is an ongoing problem in any prison facility and we must be able to rely on the correctional officers – most of whom are doing an outstanding job – to follow the rules and keep contraband out."
We thank the Florida Department of Corrections and the for their thorough investigation.

05/21/2026

Memorial Day 2026. Let us never forget.
Our offices across the Circuit will be closed Monday, May 25, in honor of the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted. Tuesday we will return to normal hours.
While you enjoy fellowship and family this extended weekend, please join us in taking some time to reflect on those who gave so much to keep us free.

05/15/2026

Join us in taking a moment this Peace Officers Memorial Day to recognize those who died or were disabled while protecting our community.
Observed annually on May 15, it honors the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who were killed or disabled in the line of duty. Established in 1962, the observance serves as a day of remembrance for the men and women who accepted extraordinary risk in service to their communities and country.
Peace Officers Memorial Day is a chance for us to reflect on the sacrifice, service, and dedication of the nation’s peace officers and to honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Address

421 Magnolia Avenue
Panama City, FL
32401

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18508724473

Website

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