State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced thatCory Garries, was convicted last night of 5 Counts of Sexual Battery with a Deadly Weapon, 2 Counts of Kidnapping with a Weapon, Burglary with Assault or Battery, and Aggravated Assault.  The jury trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse from 09/02/25 – 09/08/25 in front of Circuit Court Judge Donna Padar. 

Following the trial, Judge Padar sentenced the Defendant to 8 separate consecutive life sentences.

Back in October of 2022, Garries, who had recently served a 17-year federal prison sentence for Sexual Abuse, began his night of terror by showing up at Victim #1’s house, threatening her with a knife, cutting off her hair, and forcing himself on her vaginally and anally while threatening her life.  After making her shower, he then forced her to drive him to his sister’s house, also in Sarasota, where he raped her additional times.  Victim #1 convinced the Defendant to allow her to call her friends to ask for money.  Her friends, who immediately knew that she would never ask for that kind of money, recognized she was in trouble, and through a series of “yes/no” questions, they were able to determine that she was being kidnapped and held against her will.  Her friends called 911, who then immediately sent deputies to search for Victim #1.  Meanwhile, Victim #1 realized that law enforcement was not going to get to her in time, and seized her moment of opportunity and ran for her car.  The Defendant chased after her, but he was too slow, and the Victim was able to lock her car doors just at the moment the Defendant got there.  The Victim was able to drive away, while the Defendant was holding onto the doorhandle, breaking it.  Victim #1 drove to a nearby establishment, where she reported her crimes and called 911.  Deputies then began searching for the Suspect, but the victim was unsure of the exact address of his location. 

Meanwhile, after Victim #1 had escaped, the Defendant then went across the street to the neighbor’s (Victim #2’s) house, broke into her home, and began raping her while she was sleeping.  She woke up to the Defendant’s fingers around her neck, strangling her, and threatening to stab her with a knife.  The Defendant then began sexually battering her, by force.  The Defendant forced her into a bathroom, and raped Victim #2 again, there, for several hours.  Victim #2 tried to placate the Defendant by tending to his wounds, after he had cut himself with the knife.  After convincing the Defendant to finally let her out of the bathroom, they both laid down on the bed.  The Defendant, exhausted, fell asleep, and Victim #2 seized her opportunity to escape and ran out of her home as fast as she could.  She ran to Bee Ridge road, and flagged down a vehicle that was on its way to the hospital, who called 911 on her behalf.  Deputies then went to Victim #2’s house and located the Defendant attempting to leave the backyard. 

Both Victims suffered serious injuries. 

16 witnesses testified at trial, including both Victims, Law Enforcement Deputies and Detectives, Crime Scene Experts, Forensic Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and Experts in DNA. 

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Joshua Wertheim commented, “The heinous acts of violence committed by the Defendant in this case upon the two Victims in this community are absolutely horrific.  These two women suffered the worst sort of violence imaginable, and somehow found the strength to survive and escape.  I commend them on how they were able to face their attacker both in the moment, and at trial. 

The State Attorney’s Office will always stand up against evil, and prosecute those who commit it.  I agree with the Court’s sentence in this case, and believe the Defendant deserves every day of his 8 consecutive life sentences.”