Andrew Jones, former assistant state attorney in Seminole County was arrested Monday night and charged with three counts of violating F.S. 794.05(1) – Unlawful sexual activity with a minor 16/17 years of age. Jones, who happened to be running for Judge at the time, has withdrawn his candidacy.
Andrew Jones is not listed as an offender on the DoC website, since the court has granted his motion for confidentiality. As his atty’s make other motions, he’s being granted more exemptions from his court-imposed restrictions.
Today, attorney Andrew Jones plead guilty to “child abuse” and tampering with evidence – two 3rd degree felonies. Even though he admitted to having sex with a 17 year old, he wasn’t found guilty of any sex crime and won’t have to register as a sex offender. 2 years house arrest, followed by probation. Apparently, the judge did not withhold adjudication, making Jones a “convicted” man, so I expect he’ll have his law license revoked. His victim cried in court re: her emotional pain, but I guess it wasn’t enough to make Jones a “sex offender”. Of course, this outcome doesn’t really surprise me.
If anybody else had committed rape of a 17 year old,they would do time in jail AND be put on the sex offender registry for life.What besides money makes him so sprcial ? Unfair !!
The last recorded court action on this case was near the end of February, 4 months ago. The judge has apparently told the defense and prosecution to work out how they want to proceed and then let the court know. I guess no one’s in a hurry to get on with the prosecution. I wonder what’s going on.
Typical – scratch the surface of any of these prosecutors and you will find more skeletons than a cemetery. Honestly they should just cut to the chase and add anyone remotely interested in becoming a federal or state prosecutor to the sex offender registry.
I am also sick of these people thinking that they are superior to the rest of us. They are not and it appears that they have the least moral compass than the average citizen.
I think that most of them are high functioning sociopaths at best.
If he is convicted, he most likely will have a heavy book thrown at him. I have read a few cases where cops who were convicted got harsher sentences because they know better. And in my therapy group, we had a first responder who was convicted of a sex crime. He got 30 years of probation; 15 for the crime and another 15 because he should have known better because of his position (declared by the judge).
Roy Moore? Is that you? So which community and/or religious “leaders” willing up top defend this guy?
Mugshot of this two-faced demon.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/tpr2020/arrest-images/e0acd85d-7115-4086-b504-3711e641d92a/lines/b79f465f-0d28-4cc8-ab84-1f9c7d3f816c/image_file.jpg
Why not invite him to the legal fold there at F.A.C ” The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” The Artashastra- Kautalya. I petty sure he going want to fight this every step of the way.
And once again the registry had failed. Again someone NOT on the registry playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes.
This highlights one thing society fails to grasp about sexual offending. Even “upstanding” people can be subject to poor judgment and end up offending. Until their views shift on these behaviors, we will continue to add more people to the trash heap of society rather than dealing productively with this issue to reduce its prevalence.
Like trying to use a sledgehammer to rid your house of ants, society wields the justice system and the registry as a fix-all for its woes, and the collateral destruction it brings to our families and communities is impossible to ignore any longer.
I’m not surprised this guy is from $emenh0le County. It ranks right up there with Puke County as the worst two in Floriduh for registered citizens, as far as I know. Yes, Karma is a bit¢h! Welcome to the world you help create!
There are more offenders off the registry than are on the registry since they just haven’t been caught yet. People in high places and making the most noise are the ones we should be wary of and not those who have done their time and paid their debt to society. Oh I forgot that debt will never be paid since we have a registry that changes all the time and little traps along the way to incarcerate over an honest overlooked item.
Well those laws and rules are two fold. The law makers make the laws then law enforcement decides who they want to use that law and up to you and your attorney and a judge to decide otherwise.
For example, someone I know measured 1000 feet to a school “driving” on roads as the map would take you and bought a house based on that. He was then told he had to move because law enforcement use a map with a straight line from his house to the school. That line crossed a retention , some woods and a business but was shorter than 1000 feet. I do not know what the outcome decision was because I never saw him again, but that just may be because we register at different times.
I can tell you how that turned out. They use the “straight line” method. Period!
Thank goodness the registry protected that victim from the prosecutor. Surely he was on the registry before committing his crime. Wonder how many he was responsible for adding to the registry over the years?
Could this cause Seminole County to have to look back at all of the sex-related cases that he handled?
A Michigan prosecutor has also been accused of his own sexual wrongdoing and at the end of the article it states: “…a number of cases that have now all been called into question.” His case, though, probably did not involve a minor.
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/michigan-assistant-attorney-general-resigns-after-admitting-to-improper-relationship
I would just be happy if Seminole County gave him probation but withdrew their ordinance that makes it almost impossible for anyone on the registry to travel through their county. I would like to see him on the registry (if he is truly guilty), though, so that he could help out FAC’s legal team.
Three big ‘hurrahs’ for karma! Love this update
so shocked..ok.. not really.. the only thing shocking me is that Jones may have been caught. They are all guilty just most are never caught because of the good old boy network.
I wonder how many people he has sent to jail, for less than what he did. And how does he feel about being found guilty by simply being accused. Karma strikes again !
So true, guilty until proven innocent mostly.
Indeed – I truly hope that he suffers and is raped nightly.
Trash
I saw this in the local news and am commenting based solely on what the news reported. I know nothing of this man nor the purported victim. I say purported because the public has only every limited snapshot of the case facts.
In an era of weaponizing the legal system and the so called me too movement, I am concerned that the reports may not be factual. Time will tell. But I recall something that happened not long ago when a woman accused a man of sexual misconduct and nearly ruined his career without a scintilla of corroboration from her own witnesses. The man accused in that case was Brett Kavanaugh. The unsupported accusations against him also came to light in a political contest just as the allegation against to former prosecutor-turned-judicial candidate have. Again, time will tell as the facts come to light.
In my case, it has taken nearly two decades for my accuser to be outed as a liar. And in another case recently reported in the news, a man was released from more than 50 years in prison because DNA exonerated him of raping a young woman.
According to the arrest paperwork, the DNA conclusively confirmed it was this guy.
Thanks for the update on the DNA confirmed. The news Ive seen failed to report that.
I wonder how many sex crimes this guy handled during his tenure?
I really hope he gets his due process. But its unlikely. First off hes already guilty in the court of public opinion. His professional career is most likely done. Assuming hes convicted lets see what he thinks of the judicial roller coaster for sex crimes. Welcome to the fold Mr Prosecutor..
IF HE IS INDEED GUILTY, in his mind he will be different somehow from all the other individuals he prosecuted and convicted. Well, it wasn’t like……and so his rationalization will go.
Being on the other side of the law opens your eyes to our struggle. Sadly he probably still has judge friends and will probably get just probation but we will see if it isn’t swept under the rug.
It just makes me sick to my stomach seeing how corrupt are judicial system is. I wonder what type of special treatment he will receive in his sentencing. It’s almost like playing Russian roulette when a political figure gets exposed. I’m glad God put a stop to it before he could have eventually become a judge.
Judges are above the law! HaHaHa
Something tells me that Jones wasn’t already on the sex offender registry. Haha.
According to the news article from WESH TV 2
( https://www.wesh.com/article/man-running-for-judge-s-seat-accused-of-having-sex-with-teen/28988838 )
“…If you’re wondering why you’re not seeing his mug shot, it’s because he was once an assistant state attorney, so he’s exempt from having that released.”
Not for long, WESH. Soon, his picture will be on the public registry!
(Why can’t I resist schadenfreude right now??)
What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander in my book. Humiliate him by showing his mug. I guarantee you he never spared anyone else! Show his picture! He’s no better than any other accused felon! His former office should not shield him from being treated like any other suspected criminal! As hard as Florida is on sex offenders, he better get slammed just like everyone else he prosecuted over the years. Yeah, I’m being mean, but this is the only way his type will ever learn; when the shoe is put on the other foot!
your not being mean Im all for it, these so called do gooders need a shot of reality a registry is NOT going to make any difference I just hope and pray other officials was involved and this guy squeals like a pig waiting for the axe to drop
“Time wounds all heels.”