CONVICTED: Brandon Paul Janssen | Fountain, Florida 2020

In the rural reaches of Florida's Panhandle, where longleaf pines line quiet roads and neighbors know each other by the sound of their engines, a sexual battery case in the unincorporated community of Fountain exposed how far the state's legal system will go to punish crimes against children. This episode examines the case and the legal architecture behind it.

VICTIM PROFILE: The victim was a minor between the ages of twelve and seventeen living in Bay County, Florida. Her identity is protected under state law. What the record shows is that her willingness to come forward and testify at trial formed the foundation of the prosecution's case. Without her testimony, the legal system would have had nothing to act upon. Her courage carried a weight that no verdict can fully acknowledge.

THE CRIME: In 2020, allegations surfaced that Brandon Paul Janssen had committed sexual battery against the victim in Fountain, a small unincorporated community in Bay County. The Bay County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation in coordination with the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center, which provided forensic interview support for the minor. During questioning, Janssen confessed to the acts. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of sexual battery on a minor under Florida Statute 794.011(4)(b), each carrying the potential for life imprisonment.

THE INVESTIGATION: The Bay County Sheriff's Office led the case with the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center handling victim support and forensic interviews. Janssen's confession became a focal point at trial, with his defense challenging its admissibility on grounds of voluntariness and Miranda compliance. Prosecutor Jeff Moore presented six witnesses before Bay County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Register. The defense also raised hearsay objections to certain testimony. After roughly one hour of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts.

CURRENT STATUS: On November 13, 2023, Janssen received two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He was designated a sexual predator under Florida law, ensuring lifetime registration and supervision. He appealed to the First District Court of Appeal, which affirmed the convictions and sentences on August 27, 2025, under docket number 1D2023-3176. As of early 2026, Janssen remains incarcerated at Century Correctional Institution.

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