Seminole County prosecutors have charged five underage Winter Springs High football players with gang rape. Two are now being prosecuted as adults. They are Deoante Stewart, who turned 17 the day of the alleged attack, and Marquis Pierre, who was 16 at the time but is now 17. They are being held at the John E Polk Correctional Facility and are scheduled to face a judge this afternoon. Three will be prosecuted as juveniles. One of those three — a 17-year-old — appeared in court today, entered a not-guilty plea and was ordered to return for a routine court date Feb. 17.
The two other juveniles being prosecuted as juveniles did not appear. Their attorneys had previously entered written pleas of not guilty. Circuit Judge Susan Stacy set their next court dates on Feb. 17 as well. A sixth suspect – the only adult, 18-year-old Torreano Batton – has not been charged. He’s due back in adult court this afternoon for his arraignment.
In his case, prosecutors are expected to ask Circuit Judge Donna McIntosh for more time to make a charging decision. If convicted as charged, the two juveniles being prosecuted as adults face a maximum of 30 years in prison, but if a judge chooses to sentence them as “youthful offenders,” they could receive a maximum sentence of six years.