CountyJail.net

Find Manatee County Jail inmates...

Pre-sentencing

Interview with Ryan, Angel, Dale and Peter

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Ryan: I had my license suspended, and I was told if I got caught driving on a suspended license one more time I would be sent to jail for 90 days. I was represented by a public defender at first, and given a 90 day sentence because PD's don't do too much work. I fired the pd and I paid an attorney $1500 and then my sentence was changed from 90 to 15 days. That was 15 days with time served but they ended up keeping me 2 extra days.
Angel: I spent about 3 weeks in jail before I was sentenced
Dale: When they bring you in you go into Booking. From my experience this booking process can take up to 12 hrs. They finger print you, take your photos and information. You spend your time in the Holding Cell until they processed you and you go into the Intake and Release POD. After that they send you to a dorm based on Custody.
Peter: You basically sit in a cell for 30-60 days with little if no contact with your PD. They may come see you once shortly after your arrest and then maybe call you a day or two before you go to court but you pretty much sit and wait. that's all

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Ryan: No, they just took me from court to the jail. I showed up for court and and they told me they had a warrant out for my arrest for failing to appear on a previous matter.
Angel: I was pulled over and the police found I had a warrant
Dale: I am currently trying to appeal my case in the Federal Courts because it got shot down in the Circuit and District courts. But without incriminating myself. Me and my Co-Defendant which I believe beat the charges because the Victim couldn't Identify him where driving East-Bound about 5 blocks from the crime scene 15 minutes after it occured. After being stopped (Illegally, no probable cause but suspicious and hunch to pull over the vehicle) They took us out of the Vehicle, drove the Victim to where we where stopped. and she Identified me as one of the Suspects trying to break into her Home. After that we where questioned at the Bradenton Police Department. Where they then questioned us and charged us.
Peter: My father had arranged a meeting with me and had been in contact with the police. When I met up with my father that day, the police were there waiting for me to come. I was then arrested and I was transported to the county jail from there. Port Manatee

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Ryan: I wasn't thinking I was going to get sentenced then and there, but the judge told me that if I went to trial I would be serving 11 months and 29 days if I lost a trial. So I took the 15 day sentence instead of risking a trial.
Angel: It was very short and brief the jail guards did not tell me about first appearance. When they called out my name for first appearance I did not hear it because they were so loud calling it out. I did not go to first appearance even after I told the guards I was not aware they called my name
Dale: The new court house is real nice. They got a nice bus with AC and Radio they use to drive to the Court House. The officers are really nice. I went to Court in 15 months atleast 10 times. Including Trial that eventually beat one of the charges. Sentencing, Motion To Suppress Evidence, and along process. Trial was overwelming and scary. But overall not a bad Courtroom. My State Attorney was really bad though. She didn't try to work with my lawyer at all and was trying to slam me.
Peter: We were called out of the dorm at around 5 am, and transported via bus to the courthouse. We waited in a room for our turn to each get to speak to our PD. We were then taken into the courtroom one at a time to go before the judge. The ones who were lucky enough that after waiting a month their PD had a plan got sentenced. The rest got sent back to county jail to get a new court date.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Ryan: Driving on a suspended license, contempt of court, both charged and convicted.
Angel: Original charge was prostitution and I was convicted of contempt of court
Dale: Burg To Dwelling (Occupied) Main Charge Burg To Unoccupied x3 (Unoccupied) Side Charges I took one Unoccupied to trial and got it dropped so it ended up being x2
Peter: poss. cocaine poss paraphanalia check fraud convicted of all

Read about sentencing in the Manatee County Jail