Hernando County, FL – Judge Daniel B. Merritt, Jr. sentenced 41-year-old Jerae Crussell to life in prison following a guilty verdict in his jury trial earlier this year. Crussell was convicted of Aggravated Battery with Great Bodily Harm with a Firearm, involving possession, discharge, and causing great bodily harm.
The conviction stems from a 2022 shooting in the parking lot of Mermaid’s Lounge in Spring Hill, Florida. Hernando County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, finding a victim with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local trauma center for treatment. Authorities determined Crussell had fled the scene.
Detectives from the Major Case Unit investigated, with Forensic Specialists collecting evidence, including spent shell casings. Surveillance footage from a nearby business captured the altercation. Based on evidence and witness statements, Crussell was identified as the suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued.
The Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force located Crussell in Pasco County, where he was working, and arrested him without incident.
Assistant State Attorneys Ben Larison and Angelina Rodeo prosecuted the case.
