Osmanovic changes plea to guilty then released

Jasmin Osmanovic, a man who had no prior criminal record, entered a “guilty” plea to extortion charges yesterday as part of a late night agreement struck with the State Attorney’s Office in exchange for a sentencing range of between five and ten years probation.

25-year-old Osmanovic, a Jacksonville resident whose parents and sister sat in court Friday, previously pleaded “not guilty” to charges that he kidnapped Quinn Gray.

As part of the agreement on extortion charges which includes his release from jail, Osmanovic cannot go near Gray or her family. He cannot violate any other laws, must testify in Gray’s case if asked to do so, must appear for sentencing in February, and must forfeit his car.

Reid Gray reported his wife missing the Friday before Labor Day. Police found her a few days later, unharmed, in Orange Park. Investigators say 37-year-old Quinn Gray created an elaborate plot to extort $50,000 from her husband, Reid, and used Osmanovic as her accomplice.

Quinn Gray’s attorney maintains that she did not try to extort money from her husband and that she was indeed kidnapped by Osmanovic.

Gray’s husband, Reid, was in court Friday and said he was against most of the terms of the agreement.

Gray said he knew there was a plea deal in the works but he said the prosecutor did not tell him the deal allowed Osmanovic to leave jail.

“I’m shocked that certain aspects of this were left out,” Reid Gray told the judge, “purposefully, it seems. Everything was told to me except the fact he was being released today. That’s very interesting.”

Reid Gray said the prosecutor spoke with him Thursday and told him he did not need to be in court for Friday’s hearing.

Gray said he decided to attend the hearing anyway but had been told he would not be allowed to speak. He said he was shocked when the judge asked him if he had anything to say.

Judge Berger told Gray he did have a right to speak and that she expected he had been told about the entire agreement. Obviously, he had not been told.

Gray said, “It would be important for me to know that [Osmanovic] would be getting out today.” The judge agreed with him.

Since the plea agreement with the State Attorney’s Office would allow Osmanovic to be released on probation, not incarcerated in prison, Friday’s release was part of the plea agreement. Judge Berger said the State Attorney’s Office told her that it did not feel Osmanovic posed any danger to the Gray family.

Osmanovic offered his car worth $13,000 and a $10,000 check towards restitution for about $86,000 in costs incurred by law enforcement during the Labor Day weekend investigation into Gray’s disappearance. Osmanovic may have to pay more at a later date.

Quinn Gray bonded out of jail last year; however, Osmanovic has been in the St. Johns County jail since September. He was released from custody on Friday.