Ocala courts: Two men sentenced in state court, a third awaits sentencing in federal court
Two felony cases were resolved and a third was partially resolved recently in Ocala.
State v. Juvenal Gomez
Court records show a fired teacher's aide was sentenced to a two-year prison term and three years of probation after pleading no contest to felony battery on Thursday.
The plea and sentence were part of a deal made between Juvenal Gomez's lawyer and the State Attorney's Office.
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Gomez has 631 days of credit for time already served at the Marion County Jail awaiting resolution of this case. He also must undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation and complete any required treatment, records indicate.
The 60-year-old Ocala man was arrested by sheriff's detectives and accused of touching a girl at an elementary school, according to his arrest report. He told the detectives he doesn't remember touching the girl.
U.S. v. Robert Dewayne Lashley
Brandon resident Robert Dewayne Lashley, 52, had pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime after he was accused of attacking a Black man.
In November 2021, Lashley was at the Family Dollar store in Citrus Springs, where the victim was shopping. Lashley followed the man outside and into the parking lot, where he attacked him, according to federal authorities.
Federal officials said Lashley and his brother, Roy, 55, of Dunnellon, directed a racial slur at the man before, during and after the beating.
The victim had injuries on his face, legs and mouth, officials said.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Robert Lashley could be sentenced up to 10 years in a federal prison. The case against his brother is ongoing, officials said. The brothers were indicted by a federal grand jury in Ocala this past summer.
State v. Errol Denard Perry
Errol Denard Perry was set for trial the week of Oct. 3. Instead, Perry and his lawyer, Eneid Bano of Orlando, decided on the day of jury selection that Perry was going to plead no contest to strong-arm robbery.
After taking his no contest plea on Monday, Perry returned to court the next day to hear his sentence.
At the hearing, Bano told the court that people who were scheduled to speak on his client's behalf were unable to attend. Asked if he wanted to say anything, Perry told the court: "I'm sorry."
Circuit Judge Peter Brigham sentenced Perry to a 15-year prison term. He has 1,726 days of credit for time spent at the county jail awaiting resolution of this case.
As part of his sentence, Perry, a convicted felon, must pay Bank of America $500 for restitution.
Perry, 55, of Wildwood, was taken into custody in 2018 and accused of robbing the Bank of America branch at 1120 SE 17th St., Ocala. That branch is now closed.
When detectives interviewed him, de told them he robbed the bank because he owed a drug dealer a large amount of cash, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police officers also arrested Sidney Sussman, who was with Perry when Perry was arrested. He told officers he did not know Perry was going to rob the bank.
Charged with accessory after the fact to a felony, Sussman, 69, also of Wildwood, pleaded no contest and was sentence to two years of probation.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Florida man pleads guilty to hate crime, awaits sentencing in federal court
