A Naples Park man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced Thursday in connection with three violent break-ins in early 2007.Collier County Circuit Judge Frederick Hardt sentenced Jean Jean Baptiste, 27, as a habitual violent felony offender. He sentenced Baptiste to two consecutive life sentences on burglary with assault or battery, 30 years for aggravated battery, 30 years for burglary of an occupied dwelling, and five years for felony battery on a victim over the age of 65. These are the maximum sentences Baptiste could receive. A life sentence in Florida means no hope of parole or early release.
On Jan. 9, 2007, Baptiste knocked on a door in the 500 block of 95th Avenue N. and called out to the resident that he had mail for her. When she opened the door he pushed his way inside, grabbed her and shoved her into the living room, where she fell onto a couch. Baptiste then pulled out a handgun and hit the woman in the face with it, then held it to her head and pulled the trigger. The gun did not fire.
He fled and then entered a home in the 500 bock of 94th Avenue. He knocked on the front door and yelled that he was searching for his lost dog, Daisy. He asked the woman at the door if he could come inside to use her phone. She shook her head no, but he pushed past her and got inside. He punched her, shoved her to the floor and began beating her. Hearing the commotion a neighbor ran to the house, stood outside the living room and yelled that deputies were on their way. Baptiste fled, shedding his clothing as he ran.
Arriving deputies saw Baptiste enter the back yard of a couple on the 500 block of 93rd Avenue N. and dive through a window into their home. Baptiste punched the woman and knocked her to the ground. Deputies surrounded the home. While Baptiste was distracted the male victim opened the front door. Deputies charged inside and took Baptiste into custody.
