Ocala courthouse: Five defendants resolve felony cases

In recent days at the Marion County courthouse, five defendants resolved their pending felony cases in a variety of ways. Here is a a recap:

State v. John R. Monroe

On Thursday, 21-year-old John R. Monroe was sentenced to a little more than 10 years behind bars for the July 2018 shooting death of 54-year-old Cornelius “Skeeter” Lewis of Ocala.

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Wearing a red and white Marion County Jail uniform, a handcuffed and shackled Monroe entered a plea of no contest. Standing beside his lawyer, Amanda Micallef, Monroe told Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti he had nothing to say. Assistant State Attorney Sasha Kidney prosecuted the case.

Originally charged with second-degree murder, Monroe pleaded to a reduced charge of manslaughter. He has 1,654 days of credit for time already spent at the Marion County Jail.

Monroe was 17 when he was arrested by Ocala police in connection with Lewis' death. Lewis was killed at Parkside Gardens Apartment, 621 NW Second St.

Monroe told police Lewis constantly harassed him. Officers said Lewis was shot twice in the upper body.

State v. Byron Gardiner

Bryon Gardiner was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday of charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and shooting into an occupied dwelling, according to court records.

Sentencing for the 44-year-old man is set for next month. His trial lasted two days in Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon's courtroom. Assistant Public Defenders Julia Williamson and Michael Novak defended Gardiner, while Assistant State Attorney Marissa Meyer was the prosecutor at trial.

In this 2019 case, sheriff's deputies said Gardiner beat, choked and shot a man in the victim's home after an argument. Gardiner had been released from prison two years before the shooting, according to records.

State v. Ernest Amos Oliver

Feb. 20 was jury selection day for 30-year-old Ernest Amos Oliver, who was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a child age 12-16. But Oliver instead chose to accept a plea deal that called for 12 years in prison and three years of probation.

Oliver also must register as a sex offender. He has 644 days of credit for time already served at the jail, records show. Herndon presided over the case.

Deputies were told in 2018 that Oliver had sex with a minor. Sheriff's officials looked for Oliver and took him in custody after a traffic stop.

State v. Homer Justice Bishop Tuzo

Homer Justice Bishop Tuzo was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in prison and five years of probation for two counts of aggravated child abuse.

Tuzo, 23, has 1,123 days of credit for time already served at the county jail. He is not allowed to contact the victim or family members of the victim, court records show.

Three years ago, Tuzo was arrested and accused of fracturing a 6-week-old child's arm and shoulder because he was frustrated about the child's constant crying.

State v. Joseph Darius Delvin Jackson

A charge of robbery with a firearm against Joseph Darius Delvin Jackson was dropped by prosecutors. They said that, although there was evidence to arrest the 23-year-old man, the likelihood of conviction was slight based on the facts and circumstances of the case.

Jackson was accused of pointing a gun at a woman and her 9-year-old son in 2021 in a robbery at an internet café, according to sheriff's deputies.

Belleview police officers had arrested Jackson in a separate incident involving drugs. Court records show Jackson pleaded no contest to multiple drug charges and was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday.

Jackson has 672 days of credit for time already served at the jail.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Prison, probation and more: Cases for five felony defendants resolved