The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office announces that criminal trial juries recently returned guilty verdicts for several defendants, including:
• Nicholas Ducezil, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm, and attempted second-degree murder with a firearm. The shootings happened in February 2022 at a townhome community in northern Palm Beach County. Assistant State Attorneys Courtney Behar and Daniel Gross prosecuted the case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Aug. 14. Ducezil will receive a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the murder conviction.
• William Sargent, 34, was convicted of burglary of an occupied dwelling, and theft, and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sentence is to be served day for day without any gain time. The defendant stole an Amazon package from the front porch of a Greenacres home in Feb. 2024. The court sentenced the defendant as a Prison Release Reoffender, based on a finding by the jury that the burglary was committed within three years of his release from a state prison sentence. Assistant State Attorneys Christy Rogers and Weir King from our Violent Repeat Offender Unit prosecuted the case.
• Anthony Diaz, 35, was convicted of burglary of a dwelling and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sentence is to be served day for day without any gain time. The defendant broke into a house in West Palm Beach in April 2024. The court sentenced the defendant as a Prison Release Reoffender, based on a finding by the jury that the burglary was committed within three years of his release from a state prison sentence. Assistant State Attorneys Jocelyn Watkins and Alejandro Dermody-McKeen prosecuted the case.
• Legary Lugo, 34, was convicted of trafficking in dimethypentylone (a substituted cathinone) 10 grams or more but less than 200 grams, possession of fentanyl with intent to sell, possession of oxycodone with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell. The crimes occurred in January 2023 in suburban West Palm Beach. The jury also found the defendant is a Habitual Violent Felony Offender, meaning the court may impose an enhanced sentence. Assistant State Attorneys Kaiser Jairam and Daiana Espindola prosecuted the case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Sept. 12.
• Joshua Hunt, 40, was convicted of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He used a nearly 10-inch long steak knife to threaten two victims in downtown West Palm Beach in November 2024. The jury also found the defendant is a Prison Release Reoffender. Assistant State Attorneys Melanie Ouma and Kaiser Jairam prosecuted the case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Sept. 5.
