SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The man convicted of dragging a former Seminole County deputy during a traffic stop in 2019 has been ordered to spend decades in prison.
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In January, a Seminole County jury found now 42-year-old Rocky Rudolph guilty of multiple charges including attempted manslaughter and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
The entire incident was captured on dash camera video.
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During a sentencing hearing Wednesday in Seminole County, Circuit Judge Melanie Chase sentenced Rudolph to spend 30 years in state prison.
Rudolph’s family said they believed the sentence was excessive, claiming that he was profiled from the start of his interaction with the former deputy. They also argued that the sentence was based on Rudolph’s past arrests and convictions.
“That’s not right for them to do him like that,” Rudolph’s sister-in-law Tyrenza Hamilton said after the sentence was imposed. “Yeah, he did commit a crime, but he doesn’t deserve 30 years for it.”
Prosecutors pushed back against those claims, saying the sentence was appropriate, and pointed to Rudolph’s 27-year history of breaking the law.
Rocky RUDOLPH (42) sentenced to 30 years DOC for Attempted Manslaughter & Agg Battery of a @SeminoleSO deputy in 2019. As a Habitual Felony Offender with a history that began as a juvenile, this sentence should mark the end of RUDOLPH's criminal career https://t.co/yfHnUPSCKv pic.twitter.com/0abt8HqYUH
— State Attorney 18th Circuit FL (@SA18PIO) February 14, 2024
Assistant State Attorney Gino Feliciani presented evidence establishing Rudolph’s previous felony convictions, and a criminal record that dates back to 1997.
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Feliciani noted that the longest stretch of time Rudolph had gone without committing a crime was the past four years when he was in jail.
“He’s already gone to prison for at least two of the charges that the was found guilty of,” Feliciani explained. “It is not an excessive sentence...He could have gotten life in prison.”
Rudolph told the judge that he panicked on that June morning in 2019 when he dragged then Deputy Aaron Blaise with his SUV.
“At this time, Your Honor, I just want to apologize for my unintentional actions,” Rudolph told Judge Chase before the sentence was announced.
The judge replied by telling Rudolph she felt it was the first time he was being remorseful, before imposing the 30-year sentence.
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In all, Judge Chase sentenced Rudolph as a habitual felony offender to five years for attempted manslaughter, 30 years for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, 15 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, 364 days for resisting an officer without violence, five years for attempting to deprive an officer of protection communication, and 364 days for possession of cannabis.
The sentences will be served concurrently. Rudolph will receive credit for more than four years already served.
He was also ordered to pay $7,200 in restitution to Blaise.
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