Jason Futch
“It would have been better to fail with some honor than try to make it work and succeed by fraud.”
Those were the words Circuit Judge Kathryn Land delivered from the bench at the Suwannee County Courthouse on Monday, Feb. 2, as she sentenced Jason Andrew Bullock, former owner of Apex Metal Building Systems, to 14 years in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections, bringing an end to a fraud case that unraveled a business and left victims in its wake.
The sentencing followed a four-day trial held before Thanksgiving last year, during which a six-member jury found Bullock guilty after about two hours of deliberation. After the verdict, Judge Land revoked Bullock’s bond and ordered him into custody of the Suwannee County Jail, where he remained until sentencing.
The case began in 2021, when Bullock and other Apex Metal Building Systems employees contacted potential customers, urging them to lock in prices due to rising steel costs. Victims testified that after signing the purchase agreements, communication with Apex became minimal or non-existent.
Testimony throughout the trial strongly suggested Bullock had no intention of delivering the metal buildings promised to his clients and had been frivolous with the funds he received. Evidence also showed that not only were individuals defrauded, but businesses that extended lines of credit to Bullock complained he failed to repay debts, instead attempting to offer partnerships in Apex Metal Building Systems—offers each business declined.
Following the investigation, the Live Oak Police Department filed charges in October 2023, leading to Bullock’s arrest. He later posted a $100,000 bond.
During sentencing, multiple victims came forward to express their frustrations and request the maximum allowable sentence.
Charles Adolf III addressed the courtroom first, telling Judge Land he felt exposed by the fraud and urging her to impose the harshest sentence possible. Adolf, a law enforcement officer, said he had met murder suspects he trusted more than Bullock, though he stated he forgave him on a “personal level.”
Similar victim impact statements were delivered by Grady Smith, James Flaniken, Chris Williams, Tracy Arico, Mitchell Kinsey, Richard Ng, Cynthia Pettis, Rhonda Twilley and Charles Peterson. Arico and Pettis testified they were forced to live in a recreational vehicle for years while attempting to rebuild their lives. Ng said he drained his retirement savings to survive and no longer had hopes of retiring. Twilley said the experience left her unable to trust others.
Bullock's family members also addressed the court, describing him as a good person in their lives and stating he has two children who “miss their daddy.”
Bullock’s mother, Stacey Skierski, described him as “a good kid” who made a mistake and wanted to make things right. His wife, Callie Bullock, also spoke, calling him a “very involved” father and saying the only way he could repay the victims was by being allowed to work. Both were emotional as they delivered their statements to Judge Land.
Rachel Tanksley, Bullock’s sister, also asked the court for leniency, telling the judge that her brother wanted to make things right.
“This situation has been heartbreaking. I’ve spoken to Jason several times, and he shows such concern and a desire to make things as right as possible,” she said. “I understand that there’s reconciliation that is outside of just restitution. But I’m asking that, because he has two daughters and a wife who works in an emergency room, there be a lenient sentence in this way.” She added she respected the legal system and urged the judge to allow Bullock to make things right.
Finally, Bullock addressed Judge Land himself, asking for leniency and apologizing to the victims and his family. He said words could not fix the situation, but actions could, and emphasized that working was the only way he could make restitution.
“I want to make things right, and I know that’s my responsibility,” Bullock said. “The fact is, with money being an issue, the only way I’m going to be able to fix that is if I work.”
Assistant State Attorney Colin Klein requested an eight-year sentence, while Bullock’s attorney, Lucas Taylor, argued for a 27-month sentence recommended by the pre-sentence investigation scoresheet. Taylor also presented a $250,000 check to be applied toward restitution, calling it a significant contribution for the victims.
After hearing from both sides, Judge Land said the case was difficult after reviewing trial notes, testimony and arguments. She noted that nearly all of the buildings involved were intended as residences.
“It’s clear to me, Mr. Bullock, that you were the owner. You were in charge of finances, the day-to-day operation, and you were the ultimate decision maker when it came to Apex’s finances,” Judge Land said. “And so the question I posed and answered is, when do sharp business practices or savvy salesmanship cross the line from legal to illegal? That’s where we are here.”
As she continued, Judge Land said that it was clear Bullock was “in over his head” and couldn’t keep up. She concluded Bullock had continued taking deposits while knowing he could not fulfill orders, which crossed into illegal conduct.
“I find that it would have been better to fail with some honor than try to make it work and succeed by fraud,” Judge Land said.
While acknowledging letters and testimony submitted on Bullock’s behalf, Judge Land said she rarely weighs the presence of children in sentencing decisions.
“I’m asked to show mercy because the individual has children, but no one ever talks about the fact that ... you were putting them at stake by engaging in this behavior,” she said.
Following her statement, Judge Land veered away from the state’s recommendation by sentencing Bullock to 14 years in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. Following his release from prison, he will have to serve an additional 16 years on probation and pay restitution totaling $474,940.50. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victims, submit a DNA sample, and pay court costs.
After the hearing, Adolf said he was grateful for the sentence.
“It seemed like she gave a lot of consideration to both sides of the table,” Adolf said. “I am also thankful that I had the right words and was able to compel the other victims to be present and speak and not give up on this because it’s been very taxing on all of us all the way through.”
Riverbend News reached out to Assistant State Attorney Phillip Kelley and Bullock’s attorney, Lucas Taylor, for comment. They did not respond at press time.