Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles gets 2-year prison sentence for lying to judge

The former Pensacola dentist who was jailed after touching his patients and employees inappropriately will now be sent to a Florida prison after receiving a two-year sentence for perjury.

Circuit Judge Coleman Robinson levied the sentence after a brief hearing to discuss Charles Stamitoles' possible mental decline, but the judge revisited a rap sheet that demonstrated over two decades of the ex-dentist lying to protect himself.

"He's put himself in this position by his conduct year after year, showing that whatever part of him is going to do what he wants to do," Robinson said. "He's shown no respect for the court or its authority."

The Office of the State Attorney charged Stamitoles with perjury, a third-degree felony, after he lied to a judge under oath about traveling out of state while out on bond for another charge back in 2023.

Stamitoles, who had his dental license revoked in March 2023 following multiple battery convictions, told a judge he broke his release terms because his son forgot his wallet and computer for school, so he had to travel to Mobile, Alabama, to drop them off.

However, evidence came out that Stamitoles actually traveled to Mobile with his wife to purchase a vehicle.

Stamitoles has 58 days of credit for his 24-month sentence.

Psychologist says Charles Stamitoles may have early signs of dementia

During the sentencing hearing, Stamitoles' attorney Ronald Johnson called on clinical psychologist Stephen Zieman to discuss his findings after giving Stamitoles a slew of tests for a neuropsychological exam.

Zieman said he found signs that Stamitoles may have some sort of early-onset dementia, which could contribute to erratic or poor decision-making.

"Throughout the interview ... he would go back and tell me the same thing multiple times pretty much in the same way," Zieman said on the stand. "That's an ultimate sign of dementia to somebody who is 65."

Due to Zieman's findings, Johnson asked Robinson to sentence his client to some form of probation and withhold adjudication of guilt, but Robinson felt that even if Stamitoles suffered from dementia, it wouldn't explain away the years of poor decision-making and run-ins with the law.

One example Robinson used is in 2002 when Stamitoles stole an expensive bike in St. Lucie County, then planted the bike in a van he rented so that he could later find the stolen bike and be the "hero." Stamitoles also blamed an autistic child who did not exist for stealing the bike.

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In that incident, Stamitoles was charged with petit theft and adjudication was later withheld by a judge.

In October 2022, Stamitoles was found guilty of misdemeanor battery for slapping an employee's buttocks, kissing her neck and grabbing her from behind without her consent. Stamitoles was sentenced to nine months in Escambia County Jail. Stamitoles later pleaded no contest on Jan. 20, 2023, to his remaining six misdemeanor battery charges.

A felony battery charge against Stamitoles was dismissed in March 2023 after a patient who claimed the dentist grabbed her face and kissed her told prosecutors she was "satisfied with the sentences and results in other cases" and did not wish to testify.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola dentist Charles Stamitoles sent to state prison for perjury