State Attorney Bill Eddins announced today, after a two day trial in Milton, a Santa Rosa County Jury determined Mark Preston Bohner to be a sexually violent predator under Florida’s Jimmy Ryce Law. The jury finding means Bohner will be indefinitely confined in the Florida Civil Commitment Center, a secure treatment center for sexually violent offenders, while undergoing treatment for mental disorders which cause him to engage in deviant sexual behavior. He will not be released until Circuit Judge John Miller finds his mental condition has changed for safe release.
The jury heard testimony about Bohner’s prior sexual convictions, including testimony of an adult former victim Bohner molested at 10 years old. Bohner denied the crime against a 10 year old child during interviews with examining psychologists. However, when Bohner took the stand in his own defense, he was confronted with the victim’s testimony and admitted the offense during cross examination by Assistant State Attorney Raven Reid. The jury also heard testimony concerning Bohner’s offenses against other children in their early teens. Bohner was previously convicted on all of these offenses.
The jury heard testimony from three psychologists who testified Bohner suffered from compulsions to engage in various types of deviant sexual behavior involving children; there was a high risk he would re-offend in a sexually violent way, unless he was committed to the Florida State Commitment Center for long term care, custody and control.
Bohner will be housed in the Florida Civil Commitment Center and receive extensive sex offender treatment. His case will be reviewed each year, but he will remain in the facility until he is determined by Judge Miller to be safe to be released into society.
For any additional information, please contact Assistant State Attorney Raven Reid at 595-4201.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Bohner confined indefinately