Bradenton man faces up to life in prison after being convicted of armed robberies, sexual battery

BRADENTON -- A Bradenton man faces a maximum sentence of life in prison after being convicted of armed robbery and sexual battery.

After nearly a weeklong trial, Alex Johnson was found guilty Thursday night of three counts of being a principal to armed robbery and one count sexual battery. Johnson, 22, now faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

A sentencing date has not been set.

"Certainly my office is pleased with the verdict and appreciates the hard work of the police and the jury," Assistant State Attorney Brian Iten said Friday.

Witnesses included three victims, lead Bradenton de

tective James Curulla, Bradenton detective Greg Price with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and Manatee County Sheriff's Office homicide detective Jerome Diamond, who performed forensics analysis on Johnson's cell phone.

"I'm glad the jury was able to piece all the evidence together to determine that Alex Johnson was guilty of the armed robbery and sexual battery," Curulla said Friday.

At 6 p.m. Aug. 12, 2012, Bradenton police responded to the Village of Cortez Apartments in Bradenton to investigate an armed robbery. The victims, all roommates, were inside when police arrived.

When Johnson and co-defendant, Lenorris Brown Jr., entered the apartment on the day of the robbery, a male roommate and the female roommate were putting away groceries. Johnson demanded money. The male victim said he didn't have any and was pistol-whipped. The victims got on the ground as ordered.

The other male roommate was on the couch in the living room when Brown punched him in the face and ordered him to lay on the ground.

Brown tied up the second male victim with duct tape and the female victim was ordered to tie up the other male victim. Johnson stood over them with a gun as Brown ransacked the apartment.

Johnson then ordered the female victim off the floor and walked her to the bathroom at gunpoint, where the sexual battery occurred. She was ordered to sit under running water in the shower when he left and the first male victim was then ordered to sit under the running water in the shower in the other bathroom.

Johnson and Brown stole a cell phone, $600 cash and marijuana from the apartment.

Detectives identified Brown as a suspect through their investigation and he admitted to the crime. Brown assisted in the investigation by participating in a controlled call in which Johnson admitted to events leading up the sexual battery.

After Johnson's arrest, some stolen property was recovered.

Brown pleaded no contest to three counts of armed robbery April 29, 2014. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 31.

At the time of Johnson's arrest he was on probation for carrying a concealed weapon charge in which the conviction was withheld. On Thursday, Johnson was found guilty of violating probation and of the initial charge. Sentencing has yet to be set.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bradenton man faces up to life in prison after being convicted of armed robberies, sexual battery."