Three local men found guilty in Circuit Court

Cuntrell Barnhart guilty of aggravated battery

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Cuntrell Julius Barnhart of Monticello, Fla., born June 24, 1984, was arrested on July 1, 2022, on a second-degree felony charge of Aggravated Battery (Great Bodily Harm).
According to an interview conducted by Jefferson County Sheriff's investigating officer at the crime scene, as recorded in the arrest affidavit, Cuntrell Barnhart hit the victim in the back of the head with a brick.
The Information document filed with the court on July 19, 2022, charged Cuntrell Barnhart with one count of Aggravated Battery (Great Bodily Harm),
stating that he “did unlawfully commit battery upon [name redacted], did intentionally or knowingly cause great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement, and the defendant has a prior conviction for battery...”
On March 13, 2023, Barnhart pled no contest to the charge and was found guilty by Judge Dawn Caloca-Johnson in Circuit Court at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
The Criminal Punishment Code Scoresheet filed in this case indicates that the defendant's prior criminal record also includes convictions for the third-degree felonies of Grand Theft, Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle and Sale of a Controlled Substance. Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) records show that he previously was incarcerated for the Grand Theft charges from May 15, 2018, to Dec. 3, 2018.
For the Aggravated Battery (Great Bodily Harm) conviction, the defendant was sentenced to be imprisoned for a term of 18 months in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC), with credit for 255 days of time incarcerated before this sentencing. The defendant is to have no further contact with the victim, and he is ordered to pay court costs of $665.
According to the FDOC website, Cuntrell J. Barnhart was received at the Northwest Florida Reception Center in Chipley, Fla., on April 2, 2023.

Dustin Garland's probation for domestic battery revoked

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Dustin Ray Garland of Lamont, Fla., born May 10, 1982was arrested in Jefferson County on March 8, 2023, for violating the terms of the 36-month probation he received for an Aug. 5, 2019, offense of Felony Domestic Battery by Strangulation in Jefferson County. Garland was transported temporarily to the Jefferson County Jail from Bay Correctional Facility in Panama City, Fla., where he is serving a prison sentence for the offenses that violated the probation. Specifically, in Bay County in 2021 Garland possessed methamphetamines, in 2021 Garland possessed methamphetamines, sold methamphetamines and was in possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. For the Bay County crimes he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment, and went into custody of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) on April 4, 2022. On March 13, 2023, Garland admitted that the 2021 crimes were a violation of the terms of his probation for the 2019 Domestic Battery by Strangulation offense. He was found guilty of Violation of Probation by Judge Dawn Caloca-Johnson in Circuit Court at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Garland's probation for the 2019 offense was revoked, and he was sentenced instead to imprisonment for 24 months for that crime. This prison term is to run concurrently with the prison sentence for the 2021 crimes, with credit for 712 days already served. Garland has been transported back to Bay Correctional Facility, where his current term of imprisonment began on April 4, 2022. Garland previously was in FDOC custody from March 17, 2010, to Feb. 22, 2013, and from Jan. 31, 2018, to Nov. 19, 2018.

Reginald Andrews sentenced for felony battery

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

On March 13, 2023, Reginald Jerome Andrews of Greenville, Fla., born Feb. 26, 1984, pled no contest to and was found guilty of offenses that occurred on Dec. 1, 2019, including the third-degree felony charge of Battery and a misdemeanor charge of Petit Theft.
According to the Probable Cause Affidavit filed by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, a witness stated that Andrews had asked the victim for sex and, when he was repeatedly told “no,” he continued to approach the victim, tore her shirt, took her phone and briefly grabbed her throat. A warrant was issued for warrant was issued for the arrest of Andrews, who had left the scene in Jefferson County before officers arrived. Andrews later was arrested on May 19, 2021, in Leon County, and then convicted on charges there of Written Threats to Kill or Do Bodily Injury, Attempted Burglary of Occupied Dwelling and Criminal Mischief/Property Damage. He went to prison on Aug. 30, 2022, to serve a 30-month sentence for the crimes committed in Leon County. Meanwhile, charges for the prior offenses in Jefferson County were being filed as well.
The Information document filed with the court on May 20, 2021, charged Andrews with Felony Battery (F3/Level 1) and Petit Theft (Value Greater than $100) (M1). Regarding the first count, the document states that the defendant “did unlawfully actually and intentionally touch or strike another person, [name redacted], against the will of the other; or did intentionally cause bodily harm to that person, and the defendant has a prior conviction for battery...” Regarding the second count, the document states that he “did knowingly obtain or use, or did endeavor to obtain or to use, Cell Phone of value of $100 or more, the property of [name redacted], with the unlawful intent to either temporarily or permanently deprive the other person of a right to the property or a benefit therefrom or to appropriate the property to defendant's own use...”
Andrews was adjudicated guilty on both counts by Judge Dawn Caloca-Johnson in Circuit Court at the Jefferson County Courthouse on March 13, 2023.
The Criminal Punishment Code Scoresheet filed in this case indicates that the defendant's prior criminal record also includes previous convictions for Burglary of a Dwelling with Person Assaulted (a first-degree felony), as well as the third-degree felonies of Grand Theft, Grand Theft of Firearm, Grand Theft of Motor Vehicle, Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell and Possession of Controlled Substance.
Upon being found guilty of Felony Battery and Petit Theft for the Dec. 1, 2019, crimes in Jefferson County, Andrews was sentenced to be imprisoned for a term of 30 months in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC), with credit for 612 days of time incarcerated before this sentencing. This prison term will run concurrently with the term he is currently serving for the Leon County case, and he remains in custody in the medium-security Century Correctional Institution, in Century, Fla. Andrews also was ordered to pay court costs of $665.