October 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
(Okaloosa County, Florida) On October 16, 2025, Michael Alan Ladson was sentenced to 30 years in prison by Circuit Judge William Stone following his conviction for Attempted Second Degree Murder by an Okaloosa County jury on July 30, 2025.
In the early morning hours of March 26, 2022, Charles Meeks was shot in the upper chest while playing pool at Coasters in Fort Walton Beach. On that night, Charles Meeks and his friends had interactions with Michael Ladson outside of Coasters that resulted in verbal disputes. The security guard at Coasters told Michael Ladson to leave the property and not return for the night.
Evidence at trial showed that Michael Ladson re-entered Coasters approximately an hour after being told to leave, pulled a firearm out and fired a single shot at the victim, Charles Meeks. Ladson was immediately detained by the security guard at Coasters and held until the Fort Walton Beach Police Department arrived.
The jury, along with finding Michael Ladson guilty of Attempted Second Degree Murder, found that in committing the crime, he was in actual possession of a firearm, discharged that firearm, and the discharge of the firearm caused great bodily harm.
Ladson was sentenced to 30 years in the state prison with a 25-year mandatory minimum sentence.
The investigation and arrest were made by the Fort Walton Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorney A.J. Gomez prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida. For more information, please contact Mr. Gomez at 850-797-1415.
