Bail has been set at $108,500 for Joseph Jomall Antonio Hester, who was arrested and accused of burning down his grandfather’s house.
Here’s what we know about that and other court cases heard at the Marion County Judicial Center the week of July 20:
State v. Hester
Which judge presided over the hearing? Circuit Judge Steven Rogers.
Who were the lawyers? Melanie Kohler represented Hester, 20, and Assistant State Attorney Caley Chappel was the prosecutor.
Charges: Arson of a structure. He also has pending charges of burglary of a structure, criminal mischief and trespass.
When was the fire? July 3.
Which law enforcement agency is investigating the case? Ocala Police Department.
About the case: An OPD detective said in his report that Hester and his grandfather had been involved in multiple altercations, and the victim was forced to move out of his residence.
Authorities said they took Hester into custody after security video footage showed someone matching Hester’s description at the home just before the blaze. A state official who examined the home told police that the fire was set intentionally.
What was the outcome in court? Hester has been held without bail since his arrest on July 10. The defense on July 24 was in court asking the judge to set a reasonable bail amount.
Hester’s lawyer said the defendant would obey any ruling issued by the court, and he would live with his parents in Dunnellon.
The prosecutor asked for a continuation of no bail. If bail was granted, it should be at least $1 million.
Prosecutor Chappel said the victim has lost everything, is scared of his grandson, and Hester poses an extreme risk to the public and his grandfather. She said the victim is presently homeless.
Defense attorney Kohler said Hester is not violent and isn’t a danger to society. She argued that $1 million bail would be tantamount to no bail at all.
The judge ruled that Hester, who appeared for the hearing by Zoom from the jail, should stay away from his grandfather until the case is resolved. He granted $100,000 bail for the arson case. With his other charges, the total bail is $108,500.
As of July 30, Hester was still at the jail.
What’s next? Hester’s next court date is an Aug. 11 arraignment, where he will learn what charges he will face.
State v. Dermon Kenneth Thomas
Judge: Circuit Judge Peter Brigham.
Lawyer: Thomas’ attorney is Logan Doll.
Charge: Travel to meet a minor after use of computer to lure child. Charges of use of computer to seduce/solicit/lure child and unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate were dropped by prosecutors.
Reason for court? Sentencing on July 22.
What happened in court? The judge sentenced Thomas to 10 years in prison. Thomas, 56, was found guilty by a jury on June 3 after a daylong trial.
Thomas also must register as a sex offender once he’s released from prison. He has 238 days of credit for time already served at the jail.
About the case: The Georgia man was among 40 men arrested during Operation Seek and Ye Shall Find Out in the summer of 2025. The defendants were accused of going online to arrange to meet children for sex.
Juvenile
Judge: Circuit Judge Barbara Kissner Kwatkosky.
Lawyer: Defending the 17-year-old boy is Ian Pickens from the Douglas Law Firm.
Charge: Two counts of third-degree murder.
Reason for court? Arraignment on July 21.
Did he appear in court? No. His filed a notice waiving his client’s court appearance. The lawyer also entered a not guilty plea on the teen’s behalf.
What’s next? The boy has a pre-trial conference in front of the judge in late September.
Where’s the teenager now? At the Marion County Jail, where he’s being held without bail. He appeared in front of a judge on June 19 for his first appearance and was denied bail. With him being a minor, he’s separated from the adult population.
About the case: Ocala Police Department officials said the boy was supposed to purchase THC vapes from an individual at an Ocala sports complex on May 8. There, the teen stole the items and took off in a vehicle, officers said.
The vehicle the boy was driving slammed into another vehicle occupied by Charles and Lynne Duncan, authorities said.
Police said the victim of the THC theft came to the crash site and took the stolen items. The couple died from their injuries after they were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Prosecutors said they decided to charge the child as an adult due to the nature of the crime.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: 10-year prison term for man found guilty of arranging sex with minor
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner | USA TODAY Network
