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State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today thatChristopher George Pettit was convicted after jury trial of 6 Counts of Cruelty to Animals, 3 Counts of Keeping Venomous reptiles without a permit, 1 count of Unsafe Maintenance of Captive Wild Life, and 6 Counts of Confinement of Abandonment of Animals. The crimes were committed over the span of many months and were investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  The trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse beginning 4/6/2026 and ending 4/7/2026.

County Judge Megan Leaf presided over the case. The Defendant was sentenced to 6 months in the Sarasota County Jail followed by 18 months of probation. As a condition of probation, the Defendant is to have no care, custody, or control of animals and must register on the Animal Cruelty Registry.

The Defendant in this case kept 3 venomous snakes, two non-venomous snakes, and a Lace Monitor Lizard in a garage with no ventilation. They were in plastic bins with no food or water. All the animals were severely emaciated and dehydrated. One of the snakes later died after being rescued. There were also multiple dead snakes found in the garage. During trial the defendant shifted blame to his son who passed away several months ago. The Defendant also works at a veterinary office as a vet tech.

Assistant State Attorney Kyle Meyer the lead prosecutor, commented,

“No animal, no matter what species, deserves to be treated the way those reptiles were treated. They suffered months of malnutrition and dehydration and were left to die a slow and painful death. Furthermore, the Defendant put the community at risk by keeping the venomous animals without proper safeguards. This prosecution would not have been successful without the tireless work and effort of FWC Investigator Robert O’Horo, Deputy Robbie Martin of SSO, Dr. Jack Landess, and the civilian witnesses who testified.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Kyle Meyer in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Fred Donaldson was sentenced to 20½ years in prison for a December 14, 2025, DUI crash that killed a North Florida couple returning home from a family cruise. The crash occurred on I‑75 near mile marker 203. The Honorable Judge Padar presided over the negotiated plea between the State of Florida and Mr. Donaldson during a hearing held on March 31, 2026.

Mr. Donaldson pled guilty to two counts of DUI Manslaughter. He received a 20½‑year prison sentence followed by three years of probation, during which he must complete all required DUI sanctions and verify lawful compliance upon release from the Department of Corrections.

Florida Highway Patrol Lead Investigator Matthew Sill collected extensive evidence, including recorded statements, physical evidence, videos, photographs, and laboratory results, all of which were compiled and submitted for prosecution. Several civilian witnesses also provided video recordings documenting Mr. Donaldson’s driving pattern and the crash itself.

Assistant State Attorney Robert Gail, the lead prosecutor, noted in his closing argument to the Court:

 “It was a team effort. The professionals who responded to the horrific scene performed their duties by the numbers. Through the combined work of the Florida Highway Patrol, responding Sarasota Sheriff’s deputies, Sarasota Fire and Rescue, and brave civilians, the proof of this crime was evident. The victim advocates of the State Attorney’s Office and Mothers Against Drunk Driving were instrumental in maintaining open communication with law enforcement and the families affected by this tragedy.”

State Attorney Ed Brodsky reiterated to everyone in the community that driving under the influence (DUI) is 100% preventable. Use a designated driver, a rideshare app, family, or friends to prevent tragedies like this.

For questions or further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Robert Gail at the Sarasota County office at 941‑861‑4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Ednaldo Souza De Almeida entered a pre-trial plea to four counts of Lewd Or Lascivious Molestation By Person 18 Years Of Age Or Older Upon A Child Less Than 12 Years Of Age, and one count of Lewd or Lascivious Conduct By Person 18 Years of Age or Older Upon a Child Less Than 16 Years of Age (Solicitation).  The crimes were committed from October 1, 2021, to July 14, 2024, and investigated by Sarasota Police Department.  The Defendant entered the plea at the Sarasota County Courthouse on March 24, 2026, before the Honorable Thomas W. Krug.

The first four counts carry a maximum possible sentence of life, and Count 4 carries a maximum possible sentence of 15 years.

The minimum mandatory sentence for the first four counts is 25 years.

The Honorable Thomas W. Krug sentenced the 46-year-old Defendant to 50 years in prison for Counts 1-4 and 15 years in prison for Count 5.  The court designated the Defendant as a Sexual Predator.  Following prison, the Defendant will be on lifetime sex offender probation and must have no contact with the victims in this case.

On July 14, 2024, Sarasota Police Department responded to a call of sexual battery. Detectives discovered that the Defendant molested his family member’s 10-year-old friend while family and friends gathered at his residence to plan a camping trip.  Her disclosure led to a family member also revealing years of ongoing sexual abuse which began when she was 5 years old.  The Defendant silenced the family member by threatening her that if the child ever told anyone, her family would no longer have any financial means and that she would be left alone in the world after he killed her mother and brothers.

The prosecutors in the case, Assistant State Attorney Lissa MacDonald and Ethan Dunn commented,

“The two young children demonstrated great bravery and strength by disclosing what they suffered at the Defendant’s hands to Sarasota Police officers. Their bravery along with the diligent investigation efforts of the Sarasota Police Department empowered these girls to protect countless other children from this sexual predator.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant

State Attorney Lissa MacDonald in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Darryl Dye was convicted after jury trial of one count of Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. The crime was committed on August 7, 2023. North Port Police Department investigated the case. The trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse starting March 16, 2026 through March 20, 2026 before the Honorable Circuit Court Judge Donna Padar.

Second Degree Murder with a Firearm carries a minimum sentence of 25 years Department of Corrections and a maximum sentence of Life. The defendant was sentenced to life in prison shortly after the jury came back with a guilty verdict on Friday March 20, 2026.

On August 7, 2023, the North Port Police Department received a phone call on their non-emergency line from the defendant reporting that his roommate was dead. No further details were mentioned in the call, except when asked if he would attempt CPR, the defendant advised the situation “was beyond that.” Upon law enforcement arrival, it was immediately apparent the victim had been shot multiple times with a firearm. A firearm was located in the defendant’s bedroom in a silver briefcase. Sitting on top of the briefcase was the defendant’s wallet with his identification card. Also in the briefcase were several magazines, bullets, a holster, and the defendant’s prescription pills. The defendant’s firearm was identified as the murder weapon through forensic testing, and further testing revealed the defendant’s DNA on the weapon. The victim’s autopsy revealed she was shot twice in the head, and once in the neck while she was sitting on her bed in her room. While the case was pending, the defendant made admissions to family members and others that he killed the victim in self-defense. These admissions contradicted the defendant’s trial testimony, in which he stated he had no idea what happened to the victim.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney, Jordan Greene, commented,

“It is truly humbling to be able to achieve justice for the victim of such a horrific and senseless act of violence. The outcome of this trial was truly a team effort between the Office of the State Attorney, North Port Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Our community is fortunate to have such dedicated law enforcement.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Jordan Greene in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Abraham Moises Contreras Perezwas convicted of Domestic Battery by Strangulation, Tampering with a Victim/Witness, Solicitation of a Third Party to Violate Pretrial Release and nine counts of Violation of Pretrial Release in Case #2024CF005075NC after a three-day jury trial in front of Judge Thomas Krug.  The jury returned a guilty verdict on all twelve counts on March 11, 2026.  The crime was committed on May 24, 2024, and investigated by Sarasota Sheriff’s Office. 

The crime carries a maximum possible sentence of more than 29 Years of incarceration.

Law enforcement was contacted when a neighbor called 911 after seeing the defendant drag the victim (his girlfriend and mother of his child) into their house.  Deputies Angelo Akyan and Luke Conklin of the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office arrived to find the defendant strangling the victim in the bedroom of the house. The deputies pulled the defendant off of her, likely saving her life.  The victim recounted that she could see the ceiling fan slowing down as he strangled her before deputies miraculously stopped him.

When the victim later signed a waiver of prosecution, the State Attorney’s Office launched a new investigation into witness tampering, finding that defendant had called her more than 78 times in violation of the court’s no contact order and also solicited at least one other person to pressure her to drop charges.  This simply made the defendant’s situation worse.

At trial, the defense alleged the incident was self-defense based on the neighbor’s testimony that she saw the victim hit the defendant with something and the later discovery that the defendant had fractured orbital bones around his eye.  However, Assistant State Attorney Liana Whipple argued in Closing arguments that the defendant’s injuries were from an accident that predated this incident and that the victim was merely acting in self-defense herself.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata commented, “This case demonstrates that our office will prosecute serious domestic violence cases with or without a cooperative victim.  Tampering with victims will only ensure more serious felony charges against the defendant.  In the end, we were able to persuade the victim to testify in spite of the defendant’s persistent tampering and justice was served.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Tyreak Allen was convicted after jury trial of Felony Murder In The First Degree and Attempted Robbery.  The crimes were committed on 01/23/2023 and investigated by the Bradenton Police Department.  The trial was held at the Manatee County Courthouse from March 9-11, 2026.

Allen was sentenced immediately following the verdict to Life in prison on count one and a concurrent 20 years in prison on count two.

This case involved eight defendants, most armed and masked, who all tried to rob the victim, James Jackson.  During the attempted robbery the victim was shot and killed.  Someone at the scene caught most of the incident on a cell phone video.  The video was obtained by law enforcement and was a crucial piece of evidence that helped identify the individuals involved.  Tyreak Allen was arrested immediately following the crime and was in possession of the firearm that was later forensically linked to shell casings at the scene.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell commented,

“Tyreak Allen’s case was the last remaining case of the eight co-defendants.  The other co-defendants accepted responsibility and agreed to plea offers.  This guilty verdict and subsequent sentence are the result of this defendant’s refusal to accept responsibility after he was given extensive opportunities to do so.  We are thankful that justice was served on all cases.  This has been a heartbreaking experience for the victim, James Jackson’s family, who has appeared in court for every hearing for every defendant.  Now that the court process is over, hopefully they can continue to heal and find peace.  We thank Sgt. Andres Perez, Bradenton Police Department, for his dogged determination to identify the people on video who were involved in this crime, and we thank the jury for their attention and consideration in this case against Tyreak Allen.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell in the Manatee County office at 941-747-3077.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Jamal Lamar Blakely was convicted after jury trial of two counts of Murder In The Second Degree With A Firearm.  The crimes were committed on 02/07/2012 and investigated by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.  The trial was held at the Manatee County Courthouse on February 23rd through the 25th.

The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of LIFE.

The minimum mandatory sentence is 25 years to LIFE.

Sentencing was held on February 25th, 2026, immediately following the trial. The defendant was sentenced to LIFE in prison to run CONSECUTIVE to the current prison sentence Blakely is currently serving.

On February 7th, 2012, Adrian Velasquez-Baca and Mauricio Maldonado-Conde were brutally shot to death inside their home during what appeared to be a robbery. Mr. Velasquez-Baca was shot multiple times in the back, and Mr. Maldonado-Conde was shot in the head with the gun pressed against his left temple. While the defendant was an early suspect, there was insufficient evidence at the time to charge anyone with these heinous crimes. Around this same time, however, Jamal Blakely, who was around 17 years old then, committed two violent rapes, one on October 9, 2011. where he drug the victim off the street at gunpoint and sexually battered her behind an abandoned house, and one on June 5, 2012, where he broke into a woman’s residence and sexually battered her inside. He was tried by this office and convicted of the October incident in 2014, and he ultimately entered a plea to the June incident in 2015, receiving a total sentence of 40 years in prison. It was not until he began serving this prison sentence that new evidence came forth regarding the murders in the form of admissions Jamal Blakely made about the killings to a prison cellmate, telling the cellmate intimate and specific details of the killing that were never made public or known to anyone outside of investigators and the person who committed the crimes. Through these admissions and the cooperation of that cellmate, combined with evidence that the defendant lived across the street from the victims at the time and his fingerprints being discovered on scene, along with additional investigative efforts by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Jamal Blakely was ultimately able to be charged for murders of Adrian Velasquez-Baca and Mauricio Maldonado-Conde, leading to his conviction this week. Due to him already serving a sentence for Sexual Battery, the LIFE sentence he received for the murders is to run consecutive to his current 40 year prison sentence.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Rebecca Freel commented, “While it may seem sometimes that justice delayed is justice denied, this case is an example of the opposite being true. Through patience, tenacity, hard work, and a little bit of luck, the hard-working men and women of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were able to build a case against Jamal Blakely, and justice was finally achieved for the victims when, for a time, it seemed like their deaths may go unanswered. We appreciate the jury’s time and efforts in hearing the case this week, and we’re glad the families of the victims can finally put this brutal chapter of their lives to rest.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Rebecca Freel in the Manatee County office at 941-747-3077.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Zachary Richards plead to the charges of DUI Manslaughter, DUI Causing Serious Bodily Injury, and other related charges, and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Thomas Krug to nine (9) years in Florida state prison, followed by six (6) years of probation.

On March 30, 2021, Richards consumed alcohol at Linksters for nearly seven hours before driving his work van northbound on U.S. 41 at speeds in excess of 95 MPH with no headlights.   At the same time, a motorcyclist, who also had been drinking, and his passenger, rode south on U.S. 41. As the motorcyclist approached Palm Harbor Drive, he turned left to enter their neighborhood and into the path of Richards. The resulting catastrophic collision took the life the motorcyclist and caused horrific injuries to his passenger.

Nearly five hours after the crash, Richards’ blood alcohol level was .173, still more than double the legal limit in Florida.   The victim motorcyclist’s blood alcohol level was .176.

Neither Richards nor the motorcyclist had any prior criminal history.

Florida law treats impaired drivers whose operation of a motor vehicle contributes to the death or serious bodily injury of a victim the same as if the impaired driver had solely caused the death or serious bodily injury.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Greiner commented,

“That evening, two hard working and well-respected family men each made the terrible decision to drink and drive. One will pay for his decision by being away from his family for nearly a decade in prison. The other, paid with his life.”

The Office of the State Attorney urges members of our community to formulate and follow a plan to safely return to their loved ones if they chose to consume alcohol, and to do before the effects of alcohol begin to impair one’s judgement.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Greiner in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that John Henry Chase was convicted after jury trial of Trafficking in Methamphetamine (28 grams or More).  The crime was committed on January 3, 2023 and investigated by Sarasota Sheriff’s Office.  The trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse on January 13, 2026.

The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in State prison.

The minimum mandatory sentence is 7 years in State Prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for TBD.

Defendant John Henry Chase was observed by a detective from the Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Section in a Fairfield Inn parking lot on Jacaranda Blvd. having a suspicious interaction in a black Mercedes with convicted methamphetamine trafficker Brian Neu.  Officers followed the defendant and later conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle on I-75 around mile marker 210.  A K-9 sniff was conducted by the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit on the vehicle and the K-9 alerted to narcotics being in the vehicle.  At that time the Sheriff’s Office’s TAC Unit (or Tactical Unit) arrived and conducted a search of the vehicle and the defendant. 

Multiple bags containing a trafficking quantity of methamphetamine were located on the defendant. At trial, defense argued that this was temporary possession because the drugs were actually for the female passenger in the vehicle. In second closing, Assistant State Attorney Liana Whipple argued that there was nothing unintentional about this. Defendant bought the drugs, strapped them to his own groin and intended to sell a portion of the drugs. Even if he did provide or intent to provide a portion of the drugs to the passenger, that’s not exculpatory. That is trafficking in methamphetamine!   

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata commented, “We are pleased the jury held the defendant accountable and grateful for the incredible work of the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office on this case. They employed three separate units on a moment’s notice to build an excellent case against the defendant.  When trafficking quantities of drugs are on the move, law enforcement does not have long to act before drugs are concealed or transferred again.  We will keep the names of the individual officers and detectives private due to the nature of this case and the undercover work they do, but we are grateful for their hard work protecting this community. We are pleased to see overdose deaths down nearly 50% this year across the country as compared to last year and that progress is only possible due to officers like these working to get these drugs off our streets.”

If you have any questions or would like further information please contact Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Shawn David Conway was convicted after jury trial of Felony Driving Under the Influence  – 4^th or Subsequent Offense.  The crime(s) was committed on July 28, 2024 and investigated by Sarasota Sheriff’s Office.  The trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse on January 8, 2026.

The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of five (5) years in State prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2026.

Defendant was found passed out slumped over the steering wheel in his vehicle at the Shell Gas Station located at 6991 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida.  The owner of the gas station called 911 when the gas station was closing. Deputy Kyle Chesney arrived on scene and discovered that the defendant reeked of alcohol and had an alcoholic beverage in his vehicle. While the vehicle was not running, the keys were still in the ignition.  Defendant’s eyes were bloodshot, glassy and watery.  Deputy Chesney contacted Deputy Dustin Bell who is a DUI officer.  Defendant admitted to drinking 3 or 4 alcoholic beverages at the beach that day and said he was heading towards University Parkway.  Deputy Bell conducted field sobriety exercises and determined that the defendant was impaired by alcohol.  Defendant refused to provide a breath test. The jury found the Defendant guilty as charged. 

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata commented, “I am pleased with the jury’s verdict and that the defendant will be held accountable.  Florida law prohibits a person to be in actual physical control of a vehicle while impaired.   Defendant has been convicted of four previous counts of Driving Under the Influence in Texas, yet has received probation each time.  Probationary sentences are insufficient to correct the behavior of repeat DUI offenders.  At the end of the trial, Judge Padar took the defendant into custody pending sentencing on this felony DUI charge.  

If you have any questions or would like further information please contact Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Lata in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.