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Jesse LaCoste Of Cantonment Gets 10 Years For Grand Theft, Contractor Fraud
December 11, 2025
Thursday, embattled contractor Jesse Wayne LaCoste of Cantonment was sentenced to 10 years in prison
It October, an Escambia County jury deliberated for just over an hour before convicting LaCoste of grand theft and contractor fraud, both second degree felonies.
He had faced up to 30 years in prison, and still faces trail on additional similar charges in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties .
LaCoste was originally indicted on one count of racketeering and two counts of organized fraud.
The indictment alleged that between June 2018 and August 2022, LaCoste unlawfully managed LaCoste Construction Group, LLC and LaCoste General Contractors LLC by engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity, involving forgery, perjury, false official statements, theft, and insurance fraud.
According to investigators, LaCoste allegedly defrauded homeowners, their insurance companies, subcontractors and suppliers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties of more than $2 million. LaCoste also allegedly forged and falsified applications to obtain his county and state contractor licenses.
LaCoste’s brother-in-law, Matthew Banks, is awaiting trial on similar racketeering and other contracting-related charges.
Comments
5 Responses to “Jesse LaCoste Of Cantonment Gets 10 Years For Grand Theft, Contractor Fraud”
@BG2 Nailed it! Well said!
This excuse for a human , stole from seniors and so many people that he deserves more time than what he got . The judge should have thrown the book at him so many other contractors like him would have been put on notice . We have to have better regulatory County and state on this contractors , so in turn they would be stop predatory practices from the get go .
Great news! Along time coming for this thief!
Well well well…look at you now. Was it worth it? I bet your daddy is rolling in his grave right now. You had a brand new chance to live a better life…from your youthful days and troubles…but look what happened. I pray you do done serious soul searching while in prison. ONLY you can change this situation you are in and it looks like you have more coming down the pipe from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Next, your brother in law gets his seat in front of a judge. You both have given black eyes to the honest and hardworking contractors around here. I pray you find a conscience in prison and fix what you have made of your life and the lives of those you stole from!
They should have split the difference and gave him 15 years.