A former Northwest Florida contractor has been sentenced to 30 years in state prison after being convicted of racketeering and organized fraud in a case prosecutors say involved more than $2 million in losses to homeowners across the region.
Jesse LaCoste was sentenced Monday, August 31, following his conviction Thursday on charges of racketeering under Florida’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and organized fraud. The two 30-year sentences will run concurrently.
Prosecutors said LaCoste used his construction business to defraud dozens of homeowners between 2018 and 2022. Victims included homeowners in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, including people who were attempting to repair or rebuild their homes following Hurricane Sally.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, some homeowners paid tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for construction work that was never completed or, in some cases, never started.
State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said the case went beyond financial losses because homeowners trusted LaCoste with their homes and insurance proceeds as they attempted to recover from the hurricane.
“These were not simply financial crimes,” Bowden Madden said. “Many families trusted Mr. LaCoste with their homes, their insurance proceeds, and their chance to rebuild after the destruction of Hurricane Sally.”
The State Attorney’s Office said some victims were forced to use retirement savings or take out second mortgages to address the damage left behind.
Jury Conviction Came Quickly
A six-person jury deliberated for less than an hour Thursday before finding LaCoste guilty of racketeering and organized fraud involving more than $50,000. Both charges are first-degree felonies, each carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years.
The judge ultimately imposed 30 years on each count, with the sentences running at the same time.
LaCoste was already serving a 10-year state prison sentence following a 2025 conviction for grand theft and contractor fraud. In that earlier case, he was ordered to pay more than $506,000 in restitution to a victim and prohibited from working in the construction industry.
The latest sentence adds to that prison term.
Case Spanned Multiple Northwest Florida Counties
The broader investigation involved allegations that LaCoste’s construction operations defrauded homeowners, insurance companies, subcontractors and suppliers.
Prosecutors alleged that LaCoste used his companies to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that included theft, insurance fraud, false statements and other misconduct.
The case has affected homeowners across the First Judicial Circuit, which includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. LaCoste has faced additional criminal proceedings stemming from allegations in the region.
Bowden Madden credited the victims for coming forward and continuing to pursue the case, as well as law enforcement officers and prosecutors involved in the investigation.
She specifically recognized Assistant State Attorney Paul Gillespie and his Financial Crimes Unit, along with former Assistant State Attorneys Russ Edgar and Mikaela Ziko.
“If you use a business to defraud the citizens of our Circuit, there will be severe consequences,” Bowden Madden said.
The 30-year sentence is the latest development in a criminal case that has stretched across several Northwest Florida counties and involved homeowners who said they were left with unfinished construction projects and significant financial losses.
