Panama City Felony Attorney

Bay County's 14th Judicial Circuit

A felony conviction in Florida carries consequences that extend far beyond the sentence imposed at trial. Permanent criminal record. Loss of civil rights — including the right to vote and the right to possess firearms. Professional license revocation. Immigration consequences for non-citizens. Collateral effects on employment, housing, and family that persist for decades. When you are charged with a felony in Bay County, the quality of your representation at every stage — from arraignment through trial or plea — determines the outcome.

Rusty Shepard is a former Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit who has handled felony cases in Bay County courts for over 25 years. As FACDL Chapter President and former President of the Bay County Criminal Defense Bar, he has defended felony charges ranging from Third Degree Felony drug possession through capital murder. He approaches every felony case as if it is going to trial — because that preparation is what creates real leverage.

Florida's Felony Structure — What You're Facing

Third Degree Felony: up to 5 years state prison, $5,000 fine. Common charges: drug possession above misdemeanour threshold, grand theft ($750+), DUI (third offense or prior 10 years), aggravated assault, reckless driving with serious bodily injury.
Second Degree Felony: up to 15 years state prison, $10,000 fine. Common charges: aggravated battery, armed robbery, burglary of a dwelling, DUI with serious bodily injury, vehicular homicide.
First Degree Felony: up to 30 years state prison, $10,000 fine. Common charges: robbery with a firearm, sexual battery with force, home invasion, trafficking above threshold quantities.
Life Felony and Capital Felony: life imprisonment or death. Murder, sexual battery on a child, kidnapping with specific circumstances.
10-20-Life mandatory minimums (§ 775.087): when a firearm is present during a qualifying felony, mandatory minimum sentences of 10, 20, or 25 years to life apply regardless of the defendant’s history or the judge’s discretion.

Our Services

Expertise in a wide range of criminal defense areas.

DUI

First offense through felony DUI
NADD-certified defense; formal review hearings
Intoxilyzer 8000 challenges

Drug Crimes

Possession through federal trafficking
(§ 893.13) charges
Northern District of Florida federal court

Domestic Violence

Injunction hearings, firearm disqualification, no-drop prosecution defense

Sex Crimes

Sexual Battery (§ 794.011)
Sex offender registration consequences
Consent and false accusation defenses

Violent Crimes

Sexual Battery (§ 794.011)
Sex offender registration consequences
Consent and false accusation defenses

White Collar Crimes

Fraud, money laundering
Forensic accountants engaged

Juvenile defense

Direct-file risk
Civil citation programme
14th Circuit diversion

Expungements and Record Sealing

FDLE eligibility review
Bay County court petitions

The Florida Criminal Punishment Code — Why Felony Level Matters

Florida’s Criminal Punishment Code (CPC) uses a scoresheet system that calculates a minimum sentence based on the primary charge, prior record, and aggravating factors. Once the CPC minimum sentence exceeds 44 points — the non-state-prison threshold — the judge must impose a state prison sentence unless they find substantial and compelling reasons to depart downward. Understanding where a particular felony charge falls on the scoresheet, and whether departure arguments are available, is one of the first strategic questions in every Bay County felony case.

First Steps After a Felony Arrest in Bay County

Do not make statements to law enforcement — invoke your right to remain silent and request an attorney immediately
Call Shepard Law’s 24/7 hotline — the earlier representation begins, the more options exist
The 10-day DHSMV deadline applies in DUI felony cases — license protection requires immediate action
Evidence preservation — surveillance footage, witness contacts, and digital evidence can disappear within days of an arrest

Charged with a felony in Bay County? Call Shepard Law at (850) 290-2505. Former ASA. FACDL Chapter President. 10,000+ cases. Free consultation. Available 24/7.