In the Courts

The following felony cases have either been tried in a court of law or have been settled without trial and are considered closed.

• Bruce Snell was sentenced in January to two years, eight months and 14 days in state prison after pleading no contest to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Snell was arrested in May 2022 after allegedly threatening to shoot the mother of his children.
• Esmeralda Rivera-Acevedo was sentenced in January to one year of probation after pleading no contest to DUI and resisting arrest.
• James Avery was sentenced in January to one year of probation after pleading no contest to corruption by threat against a public servant. Avery was arrested in August 2021. Adjudication was withheld.
• Tereska Kelly was sentenced in January to one year in county jail after pleading no contest to possession of a cell phone in a detention facility, introduction of contraband into a detention facility and battery by detainee.
• Kobie Clark was sentenced in January to three years in state prison followed by three years probation after pleading no contest to trafficking in amphetamines, unlawful distribution of nitrous oxide, possession of cannabis resin, possession of LSD, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to sell a schedule II or IV drug and possession of psilocybin with intent to sell. Clark was arrested in March 2023 by Okeechobee County Deputy Karson Reno.
• Clinton Jenkins was sentenced in January to six months in county jail after pleading no contest to possession of drug paraphernalia. A charge of possession of methamphetamine was dropped. Jenkins was arrested in August 2023 during a traffic stop.
• Keanu Chinlyn was sentenced in January to 15 years in state prison after pleading no contest to high-speed fleeing, grand theft auto, willful and wanton reckless driving, high speed fleeing, driving without a license and two counts aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon. Chinlyn was 17 at the time of his arrest in October 2022.
• Amos Cox was sentenced in January to two years, five months and 21 days in state prison after pleading no contest to possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Cox was arrested in June 2022 during a traffic stop.
• Georgianne Quigg was sentenced to three years in state prison in January after pleading no contest to possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Quigg was arrested in December 2022 during an operation by the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force.
• Kolton Youngman was sentenced in January to six years in state prison after pleading no contest to home invasion/robbery with a firearm. Youngman was arrested in July 2022 at the age of 17 after he and another teen broke into a home while wearing ski masks and carrying guns. Youngman was located after an anonymous tip. The caller said Youngman confessed to being a part of the home invasion and had shaved his head in an attempt to alter his appearance. The caller supplied detectives video evidence reportedly showing Youngman confessing to the home invasion.

A no contest plea does not mean the defendant admits guilt. It means he/she chooses not to fight the charges for one reason or another. The effect of the plea is virtually identical to that of a guilty plea.

Withheld adjudication generally refers to a decision by a judge to put a person on probation without an adjudication of guilt. It means an individual is not found guilty legally by the court. If the person successfully completes the terms of probation and has no subsequent offenses, no further action will be taken on the case, and the offense for which adjudication was withheld is typically not considered a prior conviction for purposes of habitual offender sentencing.