Flagler County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens sentenced Jacquez Roland of Palm Coast to 40 years in prison without parole Friday, the harshest possible sentence he faced after being found guilty of armed robbery, grand theft and false imprisonment at the end of a four-day trial on May 23.
Roland, standing at the podium in an orange prison suit, a deputy behind him, another in front of him, and his attorney next to him, shook his head as he heard the consecutive judgment.
The sentence stemmed from a robbery at Sharps Liquor in the Winn Dixie shopping center on State Road 100 on Oct. 31, 2011.
That October morning Rebecca Crowley, 29 at the time, was the Sharps Liquor clerk when Roland, after asking about a type of drink, seized her, pointed a gun at her and took $250 from the cash register before dragging Crowley to the stock room by the hair and zip-tying her arms and legs. She screamed for help, but could not be heard.
Crowley, who no longer works at Sharps, followed the entirety of the trial in May. She was in the courtroom Friday afternoon. Assistant State Attorney Richard Price called her to the podium. The two exchanged a few words. It looked as if Crowley would address the court. But she then declined, and returned to her seat in the audience.
In May, she said she’d had serious psychological struggles after the attack, but that she’d recovered since.
Roland has been in state prison previously, serving an eight-year prison sentence, from 2002 to 2010, on a Broward County case, for armed burglary. Because of that, his sentence was much steeper.
Price called two witnesses this afternoon: Sgt. John Bray, supervisor of court services, stationed at the courthouse, and Crystal Bustamante, a fingerprint technician at the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Price established through the two witnesses that Roland is the same man who had served a prison term and been released within the past three years. Price did that to establish that as a re-offender, Roland had to be sentenced to the maximum term possible, without parole.
The prosecution also asked for Roland to be sentenced to five years in prison on each of the additional charges he was found guilty for: grand theft and false imprisonment, and for the sentence to run consecutively, for a total of 40 years in prison, without parole. Price described again for the judge the way Crowley was assaulted and hogtied. The nature of the crime is “one of the most egregious, personal attacks one can have, to be actually tied, with zip-ties,” Price said.
Assistant Public Defender Regina Nunnally asked that a “fair sentence” would amount to 30 years without parole, but that the additional two five-year terms for the grand theft and false imprisonment should be served concurrently, not consecutively, with credit for time served. That would still have had Roland leave prison at age 74 or 75.
In a surprise, Roland addressed the judge just before the sentence in a plaintive, nearly angry tone, saying he never had a fair trial, and that his race affected the verdict.
“I don’t feel the state proved their case at all,” Roland said, addressing Moore-Stens apparently against the advice of his attorney. “The state did not prove that I am the one, Jacquez Shakim Roland, that I am the one who attacked her.” He said he’d been described as dark-skinned, but that he’d never been dark-skinned in his life.
Roland rapidly replayed the trail before the judge, going over various issues, from a missing tape to witnesses testimonies to issues with evidence and DNA, that sounded like his own closing statements. He did not ingratiate himself with the judge as he lambasted law enforcement and the prosecution for mishandling his case, especially as a video tape that some witnesses had based their testimony on had gone missing. “It wasn’t there, so I don;t feel the state proved, I feel like I was railroaded,” Roland said. “Flagler County is very good at doing that. I don’t know what it is, this is 2013, it’s not the 60s anymore.”
“I’m not making anything up, everything I just told you it’s in paper, it’s in black and white,” he said. “If I was white, it wouldn’t have went down like that. And I’m not playing the race card, but it is what it is.”
Roland will not be eligible for parole on either the 30-year sentence or one of the five-year sentences. On the second five-year sentence, he is eligible for earlier release on good behavior, but only after serving 80 percent of his sentence. In other words, the most break he can get is a little less than a year on his 40-year sentence.
Nancy N. says
“Roland will not be eligible for parole on either the 30-year sentence or one of the five-year sentences. On the second five-year sentence, he is eligible for earlier release on good behavior, but only after serving 80 percent of his sentence. In other words, the most break he can get is a little less than a year on his 40-year sentence. ”
There is currently no parole by law in the state of Florida for ANYONE – it didn’t matter what Judge Moore Stens sentenced him to in theory. Parole was abolished in this state back in the 1990’s. What those sentences really mean is that he isn’t eligible to earn gain time for early release. They are mandatory minimums.
Also, it should read he can get out after 85% of the one sentence. Florida law mandates that no inmate can get out before serving 85% of their sentence (it was part of the same change that abolished parole).
m&m says
Good, the penalty fits the crime..
ANONYMOUSAY says
The caption for that photo should read “Otae Porky!”
Let him go and rob other convicts in prison for the rest of his life now.
AMOS says
ADIOS Mr. ROLAND, Yea, You Tried to Play The Race Game, Only Problem is YOU “LOST” the RACE !!! What Comes Around Goes Around, & Your “GOING” Right Where You Need to Be, “PRISON” !!!! Thank You Judge Stens, This County Has Needed Someone Like You for A LONG TIME !!!!!! May Flaglers “REVOLVING DOOR STOP WITH YOU” !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank You Flagler Live For ALL YOU DO TOO !!!!!!!!
Truth of the matter says
Way to go Judge, glad to see somebody has common sense.
Magnolia says
You had the chance to move out of Flagler County, Mr. Roland. You should have taken it. You will not be missed.
Mr mondex says
FRY EM!!!
Kip Durocher says
And yet three people fully following the law were driven into by three other people who were breaking the law, leaving two dead and the third permanently injured. Punishments – relatively nothing, with one law breaker having adjucation withheld rendering the situation as if nothing had happened.
“We have started our own internal investigation, and are still awaiting FHP’s final crash investigation report. Once all investigations have been completed they will be reviewed by the Sheriff.”
Sounds like that has been accomplished Sheriff Manfre when are you going to have your PR person announce a press conference to tell Flagler Citi
Kip Durocher says
your results?
Information on sentencing at:
https://flaglerlive.com/55986/flagler-wrecks-dispositions/
I apologize for the two part response, fingers are numb.
Anonymous says
“The nature of the crime is “one of the most egregious, personal attacks one can have, to be actually tied, with zip-ties,” Price said”
Don’t be so dramatic. No one likes to be restrained. but the police and military do this all the time.
I don’t feel sorry for the man but people commit murder and don’t get his much time.
RG says
Sure you can take my daughter to the movies just be sure to have her home by 10pm and leave the zip ties at home.
Mr.mondex says
Fry em!!!!
Ron says
“Roland addressed the judge just before the sentence in a plaintive, nearly angry tone, saying he never had a fair trial, and that his race affected the verdict.”
Sorry, but your race did not affect the verdict.
The fact that you are a scumbag affected the verdict.
Charles Gardner says
If this perp had been white would the sentence have been as tough? DOJ might want to look into this?
Shocked says
What! Nobody was physically injured and he gets 40 years!!! That’s just barbaric! Like Ancient Rome. Even murderers often don’t get that much time, and some, like killer Zimmerman, get no time at all! Damn right the sentence is so barbaric because he is black.
glide10 says
could be that he is a prison release re offender had something to do with the sentence giving him more years. Before we bash the system, there is much information people need to understand and consider when questioning it. It’s not perfect but that is what we have. Tell the victim that is was barbaric! Then put yourself in the victims shoes and say that.