Walton man sentenced to 25 years for firearm-related incident

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A Walton County man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a firearm-related incident in which he reportedly threatened a man in his yard and home.

State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden announced that Timothy Lee Farris has been sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Kelvin Wells to 25 years in Florida’s Department of Corrections, including a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence, for Burglary of a Dwelling while Armed with a Firearm and five years in Florida’s Department of Corrections concurrent for Possession of Methamphetamine.

A Walton County jury found Farris guilty of these charges on March 10, 2022. He was sentenced on May 17, 2022,

The charges arose from an incident that occurred on December 12, 2020, at a house on Whip Poor Will Lane in Walton County.

According to Madden, the victim was in his yard working on a vehicle when Farris threatened the victim from the neighbor’s property. Farris was acting erratic and gave the victim cause for concern, so the victim drew a pistol and told Farris to leave the property.

Farris left but returned with a rifle and reportedly fired several rounds. The victim retreated into his home and called 911.

Farris broke out the glass in the victim’s back door with the rifle and aimed it through the metal door, according to Madden. A male came and got Farris from the victim’s home, and they left in a truck.

When deputies stopped the truck, Farris reportedly fled from the passenger seat and took off running into the woods, but he was ultimately apprehended.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) said its deputies found the rifle in the bed of the truck that Farris fled from and a bag of methamphetamine and a syringe on Farris.

Madden said Farris had a prior felony conviction for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and received a prison sentence, as well as, Fleeing and Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, Tampering with evidence, and numerous prior misdemeanor charges.