⚖️ A prospective buyer accused Councilmember Bryce Jeter of coercing jailed homeowner Walter Robinson Jr. into selling his Fort Walton Beach property.
🏠 Records show Robinson transferred his $166,000 appraised home to Jeter’s company for $65,000, the same day Jeter posted Robinson’s $3,500 bond.
📑 Jeter denies the allegations, calling the deal “100% legal, ethical, and moral,” while city officials continue investigating the disputed sale.
(Editor’s Note: Councilmember Bryce Jeter’s comments were edited for clarity and to maintain AP Style.)
FORT WALTON BEACH — A Fort Walton Beach Special Magistrate hearing on Aug. 20 took an unexpected turn when a prospective buyer accused Councilmember Bryce Jeter of coercing an incarcerated property owner into selling his home under what he said were questionable circumstances.
If you want to watch it, you can do so here. It starts at 41 minutes into the meeting.
During the hearing, Frank Esposito, the prospective buyer in question, claimed to the magistrate that Jeter approached property owner Walter F. Robinson, Jr about purchasing the property.
Robinson was incarcerated from July 14 to August 15 as a result of a multi-agency task force bust. Okaloosa Sheriff’s Multi Agency Drug Task Force charged him with maintaining a public nuisance.
He claimed in the hearing on August 20 that Jeter pressured him to sign over his property in exchange for assistance with his release.
“Councilman Jeter solicited him in jail and told him, ‘if he wants to get out of jail, to sell him the property,’” Esposito said. “If he doesn’t do that, there’s a chance that he won’t get anything for the property, and he’ll lose the property.”
Esposito, who said he was also interested in purchasing the property, alleged Jeter sent a notary into the jail several times to obtain Robinson’s signature, while denying him access to review the closing papers. He also claimed Jeter opened a jail telecommunication account to speak with Robinson.
Esposito said once the documents were signed, Jeter personally posted Robinson’s bond.
According to the Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts website, a “Jared B. Jeter” posted Robinson’s $3,500 bond on August 15, the day of his release.
That same day, the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser’s office showed that Robinson had executed a deed transferring the property, located at 15 Elm Avenue, to JBJ Builders LLC—Jeter’s construction business—for $65,000, despite the property’s appraised value being $166,406 and well above the taxable value of the home price, $43,449.
Robinson spoke at the hearing and described the experience as frightening, saying he felt pressured throughout the process. He claimed additionally that Jeter told him Fort Walton Beach police would trespass him from his own property if he returned.
City officials noted that ownership questions remain unresolved.
“If Mr. Jeter was the true owner of the property, I would assume he would be standing here for his property,” Esposito said, noting Jeter did not attend the hearing.
Esposito alleged that the title company handling the sale — which he said works with Jeter — is under review by its underwriter, Chicago Title.
The magistrate granted a 30-day continuance on the code enforcement case, allowing Robinson time to retrieve his belongings and for investigators to review the disputed property transfer.
Neither Jeter nor representatives of the title company appeared at the hearing to respond to the allegations.
In an email to Mid Bay News, Jeter called those accusations made against him “100% false” and provided a detailed statement defending his actions. Additionally, he took issue with the fact that both Esposito and Robinson referred to him as Derek, not Bryce.
“My name is Jared Bryce Jeter, not Derek Jeter, as stated in these false allegations,” Jeter wrote in his email to Mid Bay News. “I am a builder for over 20 years in Fort Walton Beach. I’ve been purchasing property in this area for over 20 years, and I’ve done two properties on this specific street over the last 10 years. This property has been collecting code violations for the last 10 years, and I’ve only been on council for three years.”
According to Code Inspector Richard Taylor, the property has been cited for numerous violations, including litter, junked vehicles, fence issues and a pending case involving a sewer line issue and mold inside the house, this was also echoed by Lt. Troy Williams, of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
Williams told the Magistrate that a Fort Walton Beach official gave a notice to vacate the property, due to those code violations.
“I’ve tried to purchase this property prior to me being a councilmember, along with many others on this street and in the neighborhood that I personally live in, and love to see blighted houses restored and beautified,” said Councilman Jeter.
He continued, “This willing seller stated his price he wanted, I paid very close to that price, which was the current taxable value of the land, as the current structure is condemned and there is only value in the land.”
The homesteaded two-bedroom property, which was built in 1952, has no record of condemnation on the Okaloosa Property Appraiser’s Website.
Jeter continued, “The seller was happy and excited throughout the process; it was only days after that a third party got involved and has now completely falsified the story. I look forward to the truth coming out. This transaction was 100% legally, ethically, and morally performed as a builder and 0% as a councilmember.”
“There has been no legal action taken since the successful arm’s length transaction and exchange of deed and funds, only false allegations,” Jeter continued.
“I hope there is no need for further legal action of libel, slander, or defamation of character needed,” Jeter concluded.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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