Fourth Circuit Grand Jury Indicts Hudson on 8 Counts

State Attorney Melissa Nelson today announces the return of an indictment by a grand jury charging Quintae Hudson, 26, of Jacksonville with First-Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder, four counts of Tampering with a Witness, Directing the Activities of a Criminal Gang and Shooting or Throwing Deadly Missiles. If convicted, Hudson faces a maximum sentence of life in Florida State Prison on seven of the counts in the indictment.

According to the indictment and records, this case originated from a 2014 case where Hudson threw a garden stone through a friend’s vehicle window, injuring a child. Hudson was arrested and charged with that crime. Hudson then knowingly directed, managed or supervised the activities of a criminal gang to tamper with witnesses, conspired to commit murder and, ultimately, murdered a witness from the 2014 case.

This is the first indictment returned under State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s administration that took office Jan. 3 and the first indictment returned after the creation of an anti-gang and organized crime section in the office’s Special Prosecution Unit.

“We are actively working with our law enforcement partners to eliminate gang violence,” said Nelson.

“This indictment demonstrates the success of these efforts.”

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Matt Polimeni and London Kite.

An indictment is simply a charging document alleging that a defendant committed one or more acts in violation of Florida criminal laws. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proved guilty.