Suncoast man gets two life terms after being convicted of Armed Robbery with a Firearm and Aggravated Battery

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

State Attorney’s Office 12th Judicial Circuit

State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced today that Ulysses Lamont Pace was convicted after a jury trial of Armed Robbery with a Firearm and Aggravated Battery. The crimes were committed on July 16, 2023, and investigated by the Sarasota Police Department. The trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse June 3-5, 2026.

The crimes were perpetrated against a homeless victim trying to sell items to passing patrons outside a local convenience store. Pace feigned interest in purchasing the victim’s items and instead tossed them into a vehicle and attempted to leave without paying. When the victim attempted to retrieve his items, Pace threatened the victim with a handgun and then shot the victim through the thigh.

Pace had previously served ten years in prison for multiple felonies he committed in 2010. Approximately one month after his release in 2018, he was arrested on a felony drug charge. The night before he was scheduled to begin a prison sentence for that charge, he was arrested on another drug charge. For both drug charges, he was sentenced to four years in prison. Less than six months after his release, Pace robbed and shot the victim in this case.

Assistant State Attorney William Greiner, who prosecuted the case, charged Pace under Florida’s 10-20-Life law, and as a Prison Releasee Reoffender. Under 10-20-Life, Pace faced a minimum prison sentence of 25 years and up to life in prison for each offense. Under Florida’s prison releasee reoffender statute, courts are required to sentence defendants to the maximum permitted by law if an offender commits a qualifying violent offense within three years of release from a prison sentence.

After nearly three years of pre-trial litigation, the still homeless victim could not be located to testify at the trial. However, the State successfully petitioned the court to allow it to introduce the victim’s prior testimony from Pace’s denied Stand Your Ground self-defense immunity hearing. Armed with a transcript of the victim’s former testimony and other evidence, the State presented its case at trial, and the jury convicted Pace after just twenty minutes of deliberation.

Immediately following the trial, Pace was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life in prison.
Assistant State Attorney William Greiner stated, “When individuals demonstrate they constitute a threat to society, the State of Florida will use every tool at our disposal to bring perpetrators to justice and protect all members of our community.”

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Assistant State Attorney William Greiner in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.