State Attorney, Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces that a jury on July 28 found Edward Brady guilty of trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine and hydromorphone. According to evidence presented at trial, the illicit drugs were found during a court-ordered search of the defendant’s West Palm Beach residence on November 12, 2024. Assistant State Attorneys Samuel Farot and Nathan Weinbaum of our Gangs, Guns and Drug Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case. Detectives with the @PBCountySheriff conducted the investigation with assistance from the @WestPalmPD. Sentencing is pending.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces that a jury on July 22 found Kwame Antawan Moorer guilty of two counts of robbery with a firearm. Evidence presented during the three-day trial showed Moorer robbed two men at gunpoint in the parking lot of a condominium complex on July 24, 2022. The victims surrendered their wallets, cash and an iPhone during the armed robbery. An investigation revealed the defendant followed the victims from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood. Surveillance video showed him trailing them from the casino floor to a parking garage before following their vehicle to Boca Raton. Assistant State Attorneys Jocelyn Watkins and Kyley Brown prosecuted the case. Detectives with the @BocaPolice conducted the investigation with assistance from the Seminole Police Department. Sentencing is pending.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces today that a man convicted of trafficking in fentanylhas been sentenced to 25 years in prison. On Tuesday, a jury found Travante Marquise Shepherd guilty as charged. Evidence at trial showed the defendant was arrested on October 18, 2023, in suburban West Palm Beach after meeting an undercover narcotics agent. In addition to the mandatory prison sentence, Shepherd was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Assistant State Attorneys Samuel Farot and Diva Casas of our Gangs, Guns and Drug Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the @PBCountySheriff.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces today that a man convicted of written threats to kill or do bodily injury and aggravated stalking has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. On July 7, a jury found Pierre Fontus guilty as charged. The jury also found that he committed the felonies within three years of his release from state prison. The court sentenced Fontus as a Prison Release Reoffender. Under Florida law, he must serve the 15-year sentence day for day without gain time. Trial evidence showed that Fontus repeatedly stalked a woman he had dated for several months and, on Sept. 25, 2024, threatened her life. Assistant State Attorneys Rosanne Sherman and Mark Salnick prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the @BBPD (Boynton Beach Police Department) and @PBCountySheriff.

Today, a Palm Beach County judge sentenced Larry Darnell Young to the maximum of 30 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter with a firearm in the death of a 16-year-old girl, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. Evidence presented during trial showed that on Dec. 10, 2021, Young fired shots toward people involved in a verbal dispute in the 500 block of 17th Street in West Palm Beach. The victim, who was not involved in the confrontation, was sitting in the back seat of a car parked nearby when she was struck by gunfire and died. The court sentenced Young as a Prison Release Reoffender because he committed the violent felony within three years of his release from state prison. Under Florida law, he must serve the 30-year sentence day for day without gain time. Assistant State Attorneys Crystal Ganpath-Freed and Diva Casas prosecuted the case.

Monday, a Palm Beach County judge sentenced Germain Cadet to 12 years in prison following his April 30 conviction for leaving the scene of a crash involving death, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. In addition to the prison sentence, Cadet must serve eight years of probation, with the first two years on house arrest while wearing an ankle monitor. The evidence at trial revealed Cadet was driving a van that struck a 23-year-old pedestrian on July 8, 2023, on 45th Street in West Palm Beach. Rather than stop and seek aid, Cadet continued driving. Investigators located him and the van hours later. Assistant State Attorneys Francine Edwards and Brooke Soloway of the Traffic Homicide Unit prosecuted the case. “The Defendant in this case had the ready ability to assist the victim by summoning emergency services,” Soloway wrote in her sentencing memorandum. “He chose not to do so, instead attempting to have the vehicle fixed and then returning home, ignoring what he had done.”

Today, a Palm Beach County judge sentenced former Riviera Beach Police officer Carl Johnson to 18.5 years in prison following his April 23 conviction on two counts of vehicular homicide, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. At the time of the crash, Johnson was on duty and driving his marked patrol car while traveling 94 mph — nearly three times the posted speed limit of 35 mph and without its lights and siren activated — before colliding with the victims' car at a Riviera Beach intersection. The 43-year-old driver and his 29-year-old fiancée died as a result of the crash, which occurred on June 18, 2023. In her sentencing memorandum, Assistant State Attorney Francine Edwards, Chief of the Traffic Homicide Unit, wrote: “The Defendant’s actions are the sole reason for the death of the victims in this case. The Defendant’s reckless behavior when he was tasked with protecting the community fell so short of what was required that only a substantial sentence in the Department of Corrections would be just.”

A Palm Beach County jury on Monday found Larry Darnell Young guilty of manslaughter with a firearm in the death of a 16-year-old girl, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. Evidence presented during the six-day trial showed that on Dec. 10, 2021, Young fired shots toward people involved in a verbal dispute in the 500 block of 17th Street in West Palm Beach. The victim, who was not involved in the confrontation, was sitting in the back seat of her parents' car nearby when she was fatally shot. Assistant State Attorneys Crystal Ganpath-Freed and Diva Casas prosecuted the case. Sentencing is set for July 10.

A Palm Beach County judge sentenced convicted sexual predator Santo Martinez Varela to 75 years in prison, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. On June 5, a jury found Martinez Varela guilty of four counts of sexual battery on a 13-year-old victim, lewd or lascivious molestation, and false imprisonment. Following the verdict, the court declared Martinez Varela, 36, a sexual predator. The evidence at trial established that Martinez Varela violently attacked the teenage victim, who was a stranger to him, along a bicycle trail near Greenacres on January 2, 2025. "This sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and ensures this dangerous sexual predator will be removed from our community," State Attorney Cox said. "The victim demonstrated tremendous courage throughout this case, and our Special Victims Unit worked diligently to secure justice and protect our community."

A sex offender caught with more than 100 files of child sexual abuse material has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. Travis E. McCree pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, three counts of transmitting material harmful to a minor, and one count of using computer services or devices to solicit a child for unlawful sexual conduct. In addition to the prison sentence, the court designated McCree a sexual predator. McCree was arrested in October 2024 following an investigation that began while he was serving sex offender probation in a Broward County case. Assistant State Attorneys Nicole Corring and Christopher Morgan of our Special Victims Unit prosecuted the case. The State Attorney's Office thanks the @PBCountySheriff for its investigation.

A Palm Beach County judge today sentenced Chevarus Stewart to two consecutive life sentences for shootings at a Taco Bell in 2022, State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. On May 28, Stewart was convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm (premeditated), four counts of attempted second-degree murder, and armed burglary. The State presented evidence at trial showing that Stewart entered the West Palm Beach restaurant shortly before 6 p.m. on February 21, 2022. He went behind the counter and opened fire on an employee who was involved in a relationship with Stewart’s then-girlfriend. Four other employees were placed in danger, including two who were struck by gunfire. Assistant State Attorneys David Gorlicki and Samir Margetic prosecuted the case and secured justice for the victims.

A jury on June 10 found Joseph Schneider guilty of trafficking in methamphetamine. The court imposed a sentence of 15 years in prison, Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. The evidence showed that Schneider was arrested in Boynton Beach on June 29, 2023, during a narcotics investigation that yielded approximately 9,000 pills. This case was investigated by the @PBCountySheriff and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Kyley Brown and Samuel Farot of our Gangs, Guns and Drug Trafficking Unit.

After a five-day trial, a Palm Beach County jury convicted Santo Martinez Varela of four counts of sexual battery (victim age 12-17), lewd or lascivious molestation, and false imprisonment. The evidence presented at trial revealed that Martinez Varela violently attacked a 13-year-old girl who was a stranger to him. Taking the witness stand, the victim bravely testified about the attack along a bicycle trail near Greenacres on the evening of January 2, 2025. The case was investigated by the @PBCountySheriff and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Victoria Thacker and Nicole Corring of our Special Victims Unit. Following the verdict, the court declared Martinez Varela a sexual predator. Sentencing is set for June 26.

A felon who violently attacked a West Palm Beach police officer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. On June 3, Brandon McCray pleaded guilty to six charges, including robbery with a weapon, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, and resisting an officer with violence. The crimes occurred on March 8, 2024, outside a gas station convenience store. A West Palm Beach police officer approached McCray about the theft of cigarettes and liquor bottles. As the officer attempted to take him into custody, McCray became violent, repeatedly striking the officer and wrestling away the officer’s firearm before fleeing. The court sentenced the defendant as a Prison Release Reoffender because he committed the violent felonies within three years of his release from a state prison sentence. This case was investigated by the @WestPalmPD and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Jocelyn Watkins of our 10-20-Life Robbery Unit.

A jury has returned a guilty verdict for a man who shot at five Taco Bell employees, wounding two of them, while the restaurant was serving customers, Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces. On May 28, Chevarus Stewart was convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm (premeditated), four counts of attempted second-degree murder, and armed burglary. Stewart also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sentencing is set for June 22. The evidence showed the defendant entered the restaurant shortly before 6 p.m. on February 21, 2022, went behind the counter and opened fire at an employee who was in a relationship with the defendant’s then-girlfriend. Four other employees were in harm’s way, including two who were struck by bullets from behind. Assistant State Attorneys David Gorlicki and Samir Margetic prosecuted the case. Our office thanks the @WestPalmPD for its thorough investigation.

A Palm Beach County jury found Christopher Soto guilty of one count of Second-Degree Murder and one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence. Following a 5-day trial, Soto was convicted on all charges. Evidence presented during the trial showed that on June 23, 2023, Soto fatally stabbed the victim and then attempted to conceal the crime by discarding the victim’s body and other evidence. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026. Assistant State Attorneys Alexa Ruggiero and Jo Wilensky prosecuted the case. The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office thanks the detectives with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for their thorough investigation and dedication to this case.

This Memorial Day, the Office of State Attorney Alexcia Cox remembers and honors the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation. Their bravery and selflessness will never be forgotten, and we remain grateful for the freedoms their service helped protect. Today, we pause to reflect on their legacy and honor those who gave everything for our country. Our offices are closed in observance of the holiday and will reopen Tuesday morning.