Ocala judges accept plea deals to resolve two pending criminal cases
Two judges resolved pending criminal cases last week during separate hearings at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday, Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon accepted a plea deal for a former youth pastor who was charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child and transmission of harmful material to a minor.
Standing beside his lawyer, Tania Alavi of Ocala, Christopher Lee Patrick entered a guilty plea to the charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years of sex offender probation.
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Patrick has a day of credit for time already served and must register as a sex offender, according to the terms of his agreement.
While in prison, Patrick can have contact with his two children through phone or video visitation. Upon his release, Patrick has to be assessed before he can have any contact with minors, according to state statutes.
Patrick, who has no prior criminal record, is not allowed to have communication with the victim in his case.
Representing the state at the hearing was Assistant State Attorney Adam Smith.
In February 2019, the then 30-year-old Belleview youth pastor was taken into custody by Marion County Sheriff's Office detectives when authorities were told that a 15-year-old girl was receiving sexually expletive texts from a man.
Through their investigation, detectives determined the person sending the racy messages was Patrick. During sperate interviews, both Patrick, now 33, and the girl denied the accusations.
Probation and community service in traffic case
Roughly 40 minutes later on Wednesday, inside Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti's courtroom, James Strickland told the judge that he has changed his life since a June 2018 wreck that injured at least two people.
Strickland, 59, pleaded no contest to charges of fail to stop or remain at crash involving serious bodily injury and driving while license permanently revoked. He was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to complete 350 hours of community service.
The judge told him that if he violates the plea agreement, then he may go to prison.
At the hearing, Strickland was represented by Kris Vanderlaan of the Ocala law firm Vanderlaan & Vanderlaan.
Strickland, of Hernando, also must pay restitution of close $4,000 to one victim. Restitution to the other victim is still being resolved.
Troopers said two vehicles, a sport utility vehicle and a car, were stopped at north U.S. 441 and County Road 326 when Strickland's pickup truck hit the back of the SUV. The SUV then struck the rear of the car.
Florida Highway Patrol officials were told that Strickland ran from the scene. He was arrested in December 2018.
Records show Strickland's has a checkered driving history that includes multiple driving license suspensions and DUIs.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Two men accept plea deals to resolve pending criminal cases in Ocala
