Felon Justin Bryant sentenced to 40 years for drug-fueled crime/stabbing spree

Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO)

Bronson, Florida - Thirty-seven year-old Justin Bryant of Morriston, Florida was recently sentenced to serve 40 years in the Florida Department of Corrections by Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge William E. Davis. Bryant entered an 'open' plea of guilty, hoping for leniency in his sentence, but due to the brutality of his crime, little leniency was granted.

On May 30, 2024, Bryant embarked on a drug fueled spree during which he brutally stabbed four people in a Morriston neighborhood. No clear cut motive for this crime was ever established. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

Bryant has been held in the Levy County Detention Bureau since his arrest on May 30, 2024, awaiting his trial, charged with three counts of criminal attempt to solicit or conspire in a capital felony, aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability, burglary with assault or battery, armed trespassing in a structure or conveyance, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and destroying, tampering with, or fabricating physical evidence, with his bond set at none.

"This case saw a massive response from law enforcement, said Levy County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Scott Tummond. "At the time our 911 system began flooding with emergency calls, while Bryant was still at large and potentially injuring other innocent people, all on-duty available Levy County deputies responded. Williston Police Department sent all of their available officers. The manhunt was intense, and Bryant was quickly located by a Williston Police Officer and a Levy County Deputy. The extraordinary cooperative work between our agencies allowed for this quick apprehension, potentially saving more lives. So, a special thank you is warranted to Chief (Mike) Rolls and all the officers at the Williston Police Department for their unwavering commitment to keeping the Levy County community safe."