David Lee Luce, 57, was convicted by a jury in Charlotte County on a charge of Battery on a Person 65 or Older. The jury deliberated for approximately 25 minutes before returning their guilty verdict.
In August 2017, the 65 year old victim was outside of a food pantry in Port Charlotte waiting for it to open so he could get a number to receive food donations later in the day. He started smoking a cigarette near a road outside of the pantry when Luce began yelling at him about not smoking on the property. They exchanged words and Luce walked up to the victim and swung at him a couple of times landing one punch in the face. Luce then fled the area on a bicycle.
The defendant was easily identified because he volunteers at the food pantry where this occurred. Luce faces up to 5 years in prison at his sentencing on April 9th.
Assistant State Attorneys Lindsay Scott and Garrick Soja prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
239-533-1125
ssyoen@sao20.org