Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced that 34 year-old Jesse Anthony Coley of Florida was sentenced to a 5 year prison term for aggravated harassment by stalking and felony use of computer crimes for offenses in which he sent inappropriate images via social media to his victims, which included a minor.

In December, Investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office extradited Coley from Florida to face sentencing for his crimes. He originally entered pleas to the charges back on March 1, 2018 and later failed to appear for his September 17, 2018 sentencing hearing. Coley was later located in Florida, where he was about to complete serving a prison term for an unrelated criminal charge, and Prosecutors arranged his extradition back to Hawai‘i Island.

On January 12, 2022, Coley appeared in custody for his sentencing hearing in Kona Circuit Court. The Court sentenced Coley to a to the maximum 5 year prison term penalty for the two charges of Aggravated Harassment by Stalking and two charges of Use of a Computer in the Commission of a Separate Crime. Coley was also sentenced to a 5 year prison term for an unrelated probation case.

The investigation was handled by the Area II Juvenile Aid Section. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Annaliese Wolf.

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office