Friday, September 19, 2008

A Florida City man with an extensive criminal history convicted of selling cocaine opted not to show for his trial Wednesday and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Leefloyd Flenor, 27, was out of jail on $30,000 bail. He was present during jury selection Monday, but by Wednesday no one knew where he was, said State Attorney's Office spokesman Matthew Helmerich.

Circuit Court Judge Wayne Miller instructed the jury to disregard Flenor's absence; his attorney was present. Florida criminal procedure rules say trial defendants who are "voluntarily absent" from trial without the judge's permission do not impede proceedings. Miller later issued a no-bond bench warrant for Flenor's arrest.

A jury of two men and four women deliberated for no more than 20 minutes before returning a verdict of guilty. Flenor will be sentenced when he is apprehended, and he could face a felony failure to appear charge stemming from his absence Wednesday, Helmerich said.

Flenor has been arrested in Monroe County at least 14 times since 2005, on charges ranging from driving with a revoked license, violating probation and failing to appear in court, for which he has been charged five times, according to Monroe County jail records.

Flenor also has a violent criminal and drug-related history on the mainland, Helmerich said.

"Because of his long criminal history and because Florida statute increases penalties whenever you're convicted of selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school, church or community center, he will certainly do some hard time based on his conviction Wednesday," Helmerich said Thursday.

Flenor was charged with selling cocaine to an undercover Key West police officer in March 2007 within 1,000 feet of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic church on Truman Avenue, reports say.

A co-defendant, Dorothea Harris, pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 2 and was sentenced to two years in prison, which she is serving. Police say Harris brokered the drug deal between Flenor and the undercover officer.

Harris and three Key West police detectives testified against Flenor Wednesday, Helmerich said. Flenor's court-appointed defense attorney did not present witnesses.

alinhardt@keysnews.com