Former jujitsu teacher sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping young student in hospital

A jujitsu instructor and former Navy Seal convicted of raping one of his teenage students at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where he worked as a nurse, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday.

Joel Gingery, 58, was found guilty of two counts of sexual abuse on March 27 after the jury deliberated for about two and a half hours.

District Judge Elizabeth Blackburn sentenced Gingery to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation as a sex offender; he must register as a sex offender.

Blackburn said that in addition to her court testimony, she received numerous letters from family and friends attesting to Gingery’s character and commitment to the community.

Blackburn said one of the witnesses said Gingery did not pose a threat to anyone. However, the judge said Gingery did pose a threat to his victim on the night of the rape. She said Gingery chose to sexually abuse the teen and the choice was taken away from her.

Blackburn subsequently sentenced Gingery to 15 years in prison on the first count and five years on the second. Gingery received credit for 71 days of her sentence.

In her argument, Assistant District Attorney Helen Schwartz said Gingery “manipulated” and “groomed” the student, who was 16 when she began classes and 18 when she was raped in 2022. Schwartz pointed to the large age difference between Gingery and the teenager. She said Gingery should have been the young woman’s teacher and mentor, but betrayed that position.

Schwartz read a statement from the victim, who now lives in another state. In the statement, the woman said she couldn’t bear to testify during the hearing. Schwartz read that the woman said she couldn’t continue to play the sport she loved without leaving the gym crying. She said every time someone held her during a workout, she was reminded of the trauma she suffered because of Gingery. She said Gingery not only took away the sport she loved, but also took away her virginity.

Schwartz asked the judge to give Gingery the maximum sentence of just over 30 years in prison – 15 years for each count, consecutive.

Defense attorneys Jessica Damoth and Michael Lambert represented Gingery. Damoth argued for the recommended minimum sentence of just over 15 years.

Friends of Gingery, including his girlfriend Jessie Grace, testified about his character, saying he was a former Navy Seal who was always eager to help people and posed no threat to anyone.

Gingery declined to make a statement before the judge announced his verdict.

Gingery, wearing the usual orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs, appeared unresponsive as he was fingerprinted and led out of the courtroom.

Martial arts teacher charged with raping student

Gingery was employed at the University of Florida as a nurse anesthetist and was working at Halifax Health Medical Center when he was arrested after being accused of raping the young woman in 2022. Gingery was terminated as an employee of UF on September 24, 2022, and his access to Halifax was revoked.

The woman testified in court that she was 18 years old on August 21, 2022, when she received a call from Gingery asking her to meet him at Halifax Health Medical Center. She said she thought it was to discuss with Gingery whether he would sponsor her financially in jujitsu competitions. The woman had started attending Gingery’s Trident Jiu Jitsu school in Ormond Beach when she was 16.

Gingery testified that he and the teenager had consensual sex. He described leading the teenager into the hospital’s on-call room and locking and blocking the door so no one could get in. He said she began hugging him and they began kissing and having consensual sex.

This article originally appeared in the Daytona Beach News-Journal: Former jujitsu teacher receives 20 years in prison for raping Florida student