Ocala courts: Three men sentenced for sex crimes against minors
Three men charged with sex crimes against minors decided not to take their cases to trial and instead worked out plea deals with prosecutors on Monday.
State v. Daniel Gray
Ocala resident Daniel Gray pleaded no contest to attempted lewd and lascivious molestation on a child younger than 12 and was sentenced to a 15-year prison term, according to court records.
Gray, 43, has 771 days of credit for time already served at the Marion County Jail. He must register as a sexual predator, records show.
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In late August 2020, sheriff's deputies were told that Gray touched a young girl. Deputies said Gray fled Marion County and was captured in Louisiana after a car crash.
He eventually returned to Marion County, where he was charged.
State v. Christopher Barnett
Christopher Barnett was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to a nine-year prison term, followed by three years of probation, after pleading no contest to sexual battery, court records show.
Barnett, who's presently out on bail, was told he must report to the county jail by Oct. 10 at 8 a.m. Officials familiar with the case said he was allowed this delay so he could take care of some personal affairs.
The 49-year-old Dunnellon man was told if he did not show up on the date, then he could be re-sentenced to any possible legal sentence, according to court documents. He has 31 days of credit for time already spent at the jail.
He will be labeled as a sexual predator.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Barnett in 2019 after a minor girl told deputies that he had sex with her. He denied the charge.
State v. Donald Ladd
Donald Ladd was sentenced to a 15-year prison term and 15 years of probation after pleading no contest to attempted sexual battery, according to court records.
A charge of lewd/lascivious molestation of a child was dropped by prosecutors, court documents show. Ladd will be listed as a sexual predator.
Ladd has credit for 998 days already spent at the jail.
The 60-year-old Silver Springs man was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies in 2020 after he was accused of touching a girl. When he was interviewed by detectives, Ladd denied the charge.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: In Ocala, Florida, three men sentenced for sex crimes involving minors
