A Port Charlotte man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for breaking into a woman's home through a window and entering a bedroom, knife in hand, and sexually assaulting her. Braxton Jacobs was also branded a sexual predator for life, a designation that will follow him with mandatory registration and public notification for the rest of his days.
The sentence stacks three separate prison terms that will run concurrently: 15 years for sexual battery with a deadly weapon or great force, 15 years for first degree burglary with assault or battery, and five years for false imprisonment, according to the State Attorney's Office for the 20th Judicial Circuit. Once Jacobs finishes his time in prison, he faces another 10 years of sex offender probation. As WWSB ABC7 News reported, police said Jacobs was found guilty of breaking into the Charlotte County home and assaulting a woman there in September 2025.
According to the same station's report, Jacobs got into the home through a window before confronting the victim with a knife. The victim talked to Jacobs and convinced him to leave the residence before calling authorities.
How the Case Came Together
The victim's presence of mind extended beyond the encounter itself. Per the outlet's account, she provided police with an audio recording of the incident, evidence that helped build the case against Jacobs. Assistant State Attorney Dennis Wallace II of the circuit's Special Victims Unit prosecuted the case.
The 20th Judicial Circuit, led by elected State Attorney Amira D. Fox, prosecutes criminal cases across five southwest Florida counties — Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee.
What Comes Next for Jacobs
Jacobs' sentence includes 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of sex-offender probation.
Once he does leave prison, Jacobs will be under sex offender probation. Layered on top of that is his lifetime sexual predator designation under Florida Statute § 775.21, according to the Florida Legislature's Online Sunshine. That status brings mandatory lifetime registration and public notification.
