On Tuesday, Judge Robert Meadows of the 19th Circuit Court signed an arrest warrant for Damien H. Gilliams, ordering him to serve his 45-day jail term for crimes committed during his 10-month tenure as a Sebastian City Councilman in 2020.
Gilliams, owner of the No Name Sports Bar in Sebastian, reported to jail on Wednesday at approximately 12 p.m. to serve his remaining time.
After his 2021 sentencing, Gilliams spent two years challenging his conviction. His appeal for case review was turned down by the Florida Supreme Court, resulting in his return to incarceration.
Gilliams pursued a seat on the Sebastian City Council for nearly a decade, clinching a victory in 2019. However, during his tenure, he faced allegations from state prosecutors of perjury and violating the Sunshine Law. While appealing his case, Gilliams sought a council seat in 2022 and 2023, stating he was not a “quitter.”
At a political forum hosted by Sebastian Daily and the Taxpayers Association of IRC, Gilliams said he was ready to serve his jail sentence “for the community” and forgave the state prosecutors.
Gilliams’ legal troubles started on April 24, 2020, when a scheduled Sebastian City Council meeting was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision echoed by over a thousand residents who reached out to City Hall.
However, Gilliams, alongside two other council members, proceeded with a meeting in the City Chambers. The entire session was recorded and later used against him at trial.
During this unofficial meeting, the trio violated the Sunshine Law, appointed Gilliams as the new mayor, and intended to fire the City Manager and Attorney. This meeting was subsequently declared invalid and “null and void” by Judge Janet Croom of the 19th Circuit Court.
In 2020, after a tenth-month term on the city council, Gilliams was recalled by Sebastian voters. This recall occurred after his arrest for involvement in the illegal meeting and subsequent charges of perjury and violating the Sunshine Law.
On May 27, 2021, a jury found Gilliams guilty of perjury and violating the Sunshine Law. 19th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Michael Linn sentenced him on September 14, 2021.
Pamela Parris, another council member arrested alongside Gilliams, was also found guilty of perjury and violating the Sunshine Law. She has requested a resentencing hearing for January, implying jail time would be unsuitable for her due to medical reasons.