61-year-old man dies in Manatee County Jail’s custody, sheriff says
A 61-year-old man incarcerated at the Manatee County Jail died Monday night after what deputies say was an apparent suicide.
Court records show inmate Gregory Hough was scheduled to be sentenced the next day for possession of child sexual abuse material.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was reported around 9:18 p.m., when inmates in a dormitory called for help after noticing Hough in distress.
Jail staff and EMS attempted life-saving measures, but Hough was later pronounced dead.
After interviewing inmates in the housing unit and reviewing surveillance video, the sheriff’s office said it found no evidence that anyone else was involved and is treating the case as a suicide. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
According to court records, Hough had been held at the jail since 2024 after detectives raided his home and found explicit images and videos of children on his desktop computer. He pleaded no contest to 25 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material in September and was awaiting sentencing at the time of his death.
Each of the 25 counts is a second-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to 15 years in prison per count.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you or someone you are concerned about is at risk, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by texting or dialing 988 or calling 1-800-273-TALK for free, confidential support and direction to helpful resources. Suicide is complex and rarely attributable to a single cause.
