PANAMA CITY — A local man convicted of raping a mentally disabled woman has been sentenced to life in prison, according to court documents.
Gary Lynn Sprouse Jr., 48, was sentenced to life in prison after a one-day jury trial in which prosecutors demonstrated he raped a woman with Down syndrome in her home in October 2014. Prosecutors argued for a life sentence Monday, arguing Sprouse was a habitual violent criminal, before a Bay County judge allowed an enhancement to his punishment, court records indicated.
Sprouse was arrested after Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigators responded to the emergency room of a local hospital where the victim and her family gave statements indicating Sprouse attacked her while he was visiting the family’s home.
Sprouse emerged from a bathroom of the home after an unusually long time and then left, according to BCSO reports. The victim later came out of the bathroom complaining of pain, and she told her family Sprouse attacked her. The victim, a mentally handicapped woman, had physical signs consistent with her allegations.
Sprouse faced at least 30 years in prison for the incident, but Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet sentenced him to life in prison after prosecutors filed for an enhanced sentence.
Sprouse has a felony history in Bay County stemming back to 1987. Since that time, he has been found guilty of several counts of aggravated battery, grand theft auto, resisting arrest with violence and numerous traffic felonies, including DUI and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, according to court records.
Sprouse was sentenced Monday to life in prison for the most recent charges of sexual battery on an intellectual disabled person and lewd or lascivious battery upon a disabled adult.