Ex-jujitsu instructor sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping teen student at hospital

A jujitsu instructor and former Navy Seal convicted of raping one of his teenage students at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he worked as a nurse was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison.

Joel Gingery, 58, was found guilty March 27 of two counts of sexual battery after a jury deliberated for about two-and-a-half hours.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn sentenced Gingery to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years' sex offender probation; he must register as a sex offender.

Blackburn noted that she had received a number of letters from family and friends testifying to Gingery's character and community service besides the testimony in court.

Blackburn said that one of the people who testified said Gingery did not pose a threat to anyone. But the judge said that on the night of the rape, Gingery posed a threat to his victim. She said Gingery chose to sexually batter the teen and took away her choice.

Blackburn then sentenced Gingery to 15 years in prison on the first count followed by five years on the second count. Gingery received credit for 71 days time-served in jail.

In her argument, Assistant State Attorney Helen Schwartz said Gingery "manipulated" and "groomed" the student, who was 16 when she started lessons and 18 when she was raped in 2022. Schwartz noted the large age difference between Gingery and the teenager. She said that Gingery was supposed to be the young woman's instructor and a mentor, but instead betrayed that position.

“Rather than nurture that relationship in the spirit of teaching, learning and building physical strength and mental competence, Joel Gingery orchestrated that relationship to his advantage until the 18-year-old girl, barely a woman, was ripe for manipulation, exhibiting an unwavering trust in him,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz read a statement from the victim, who now lives in another state. In the statement, the woman said she could not bear to testify during the hearing. Schwartz read that the woman said she could not continue in the sport she loved without leaving the gym in tears. She said whenever she was pinned by someone during practice it would remind her of trauma she endured because of Gingery. She said that in addition to the sport she loved, Gingery also took her virginity.

Schwartz asked the judge to give Gingery the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison — 15 years on each count consecutively.

Defense attorneys Jessica Damoth and Michael Lambert represented Gingery. Damoth argued for the minimum recommended sentence of just over 15 years.

Gingery's friends and family filled the courtroom. Several of his supporters took the stand, including his girlfriend, Jessie Grace, who testified about Gingery's character, saying he was a former Navy Seal who always strived to help people.

Grace and Gingery had operated Trident Jiu Jitsu in Ormond Beach until his arrest.

Grace, who described herself as Gingery's life partner, testified she had seen Gingery in situations with young women who had felt “extremely comfortable” with him.

“I love him with all my heart,” Grace said. “And I have never seen anything other than a protector from him.”

She said over the past 10 years she had seen him change people’s lives for the better.

“I see him in every situation and he’s a wonderful man,” Grace said.

Gingery declined to make a statement before the judge pronounced the sentence.

Gingery, wearing the routine orange jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, appeared to show no reaction as he was fingerprinted and led out of the courtroom.

Martial arts instructor charged in student's rape

Gingery was employed by the University of Florida as a nurse anesthetist who was working at Halifax Health Medical Center when he was arrested after being accused of raping the young woman in 2022. Gingery was terminated as a UF employee on Sept. 24, 2022, and his access to Halifax was revoked.

The woman testified at trial that she was 18 on Aug. 21, 2022, when she got a call from Gingery asking her to meet him at Halifax Health Medical Center. She said she thought it was to discuss Gingery sponsoring her financially in jujitsu competitions. The woman started attending Gingery's Trident Jiu Jitsu school when she was 16.

Gingery testified that he and the teen had consensual sex. He described leading the teen to the on-call room at the hospital and latching and blocking the door so no one would walk in. He said she started hugging him and they started kissing and engaging in consensual sexual acts.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ex-jujitsu instructor gets 20 years for raping Florida student