Sentenced to ten years for relationship with teen

By LYNSIE BREAUX

BAKER COUNTY, FL - Despite a relatively long docket going through Judge Phyllis Rosier's felony court Monday, two people will be spending quite some time as residents of the state of Florida penal system.

Tony Ambrose Chauncey, 28, pled guilty to one count of lewd and lascivious act in presence of a child under 16-years-old.

According to court records, Chauncey was having a relationship with a woman who was, when they started their relationship, 14-years-old.

Papers filed with the court reveal that the family of the minor victim actually supported the relationship.

The letter filed by family members state that Chauncey was working to support the infant as well as the child's minor mother.

Shortly after the child was born, Department of Child and Family Services became involved due to the age of the mother.

While being interviewed at the Baker County Sheriff's Department she was asked if she would allow the child to take a DNA test in order to prove Chauncey was the father. She told the investigator she would "agree to anything in order to not have to give up her child."

Chauncey was sentenced to ten years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender when he's released.

Had he gone to trial, he could have been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Russell Vance Tillman, 27, will also be spending time in prison due to a domestic situation.

Tillman pled guilty to a single count of felony battery by a repeat offender. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

Court records show that Tillman got into a fight with his girlfriend after drinking a quart of beer and taking several pills.

He told his girlfriend to leave the house but she refused to leave without her daughter. Tillman then punched the victim in the face and choked her until she passed out. When she regained conciousness, he once again choked her and told her to leave but took her car keys when she tried to leave forbidding her from leaving.

When Tillman left the house she escaped to a neighbor's house and called the police.

During the afternoon session, Joseph Edward Tetreault appeared on two charges of sexual battery with great force and two counts of lewd and lascivious assault on a child less than 16-years-old.

His case was held over and set for a June trial.

Tetreault, before being arrested was a photographer and took pictures for many local sports teams as well as a news photographer for The Baker County Standard.