Prison Releasee Reoffender Found Guilty of Burglary

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces today that Akeen Kadoni Paul, 22, of Jacksonville, was found guilty by a jury of Burglary to a Dwelling and Resisting An Officer Without Violence. Paul now faces a mandatory maximum of 15 years in Florida State Prison because of his Prison Releasee Reoffender status. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Honorable Marianne Lloyd Aho on Oct. 23, 2017.

On Jan. 27, 2017, Paul and two other suspects breached the door of the victim’s home and took electronics, clothing, shoes, and cash. The three suspects wore gloves and had hoods up that partially covered their faces. However, surveillance video in the victim’s home briefly captured their clothing. Officers were alerted to the breach by the victim’s security company and arrived shortly after the burglary. No suspects remained on scene, although a neighbor encountered two shadowy figures in the victim’s yard, who threatened him with a “stick,” which the witness interpreted to mean a firearm.

Two hours after the initial alert, the victim encountered Paul in the woods near his home with a flashlight and wearing the same clothing observed on the surveillance video. Paul, after seeing officers arrive in marked patrol cars, fled into the woods and was apprehended after a short pursuit on foot.

The case was investigated by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Christina Stifler.