FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 27, 2007

State Attorney Steve Meadows announces the sentencing, in Gulf County Circuit Court, of Mark Newsome, on five counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12.

Newsome, 36, of Marianna, entered a plea, without agreement, on February 7, in relation to five instances of molestation of the same, eight year old victim between April and December, 2004. Circuit Court Judge Hentz McClellan sentenced Newsome to 30 years prison. The maximum possible sentence was 150 years. Under Florida law, Newsome must serve at least 85 per cent of the sentence.