A man who sexually battered a co-worker in Rockledge while he was on work release from prison was sentenced today to 30 years for the attack.

A Brevard County jury found AREE L. SPIVEY, 52, guilty of sexual battery in September based evidence and victim  testimony presented by Assistant State Attorneys Samantha Barrett and Andrew Joy.

“I want to stress how brave the victim was,” Barrett said. “She had the courage to come forward and tell her story, which is not easy to do in a courtroom full of strangers.”

At trial, prosecutors also convinced the jury that Spivey should be sentenced as a Habitual Felony Offender and Prison Releasee  Reoffender. At Spivey’s Oct. 6 sentencing hearing, those classifications empowered Circuit Judge Steve Henderson to double the maximum sentence of 15 years for a second-degree felony conviction.

The sexual assault happened in broad daylight on September 21, 2021, at a business off Murrell Road. The victim was waiting for a ride home on an outdoor porch after clocking out at 2 p.m. when Spivey sat beside her, grabbed her, then dragged her across the patio. The victim fought and tried to get away, but Spivey pulled her pants off and sexually battered her.

When questioned by Rockledge Police investigators, Spivey claimed the contact was consensual. At the time, Spivey was on supervised work release after serving prison time for perjury in a homicide case.

Police later obtained a search warrant for DNA samples from Spivey. His DNA matched semen samples recovered from the victim’s clothing.