Jessie Ooten Sentenced to 20 Years For Stealing Gun, Escape, Tampering With Prison Monitor, Criminal Mischief, & Persistent Felony Offender
COVINGTON- On November 4, 2021, Mr. Ed Yung contacted police after he saw that Jesse Lee Ooten had broken into his home and stolen a firearm. Yung was alerted to Ooten’s presence in his home when he received notifications from his security system about motion detected in his living room. Yung was able to view the videos captured by the security system showing Ooten in the residence with a firearm stolen from Yung’s gun safe.
Prior to November 4, Yung had been allowing Ooten to stay in the spare room at his house in Latonia because Ooten had been placed on home incarceration and was subject to bond conditions from another court that prohibited him from being in contact with the woman he previously lived with. After Ooten was fired from his job at their shared place of employment, Yung told Ooten that he was not allowed to return to the house. Ooten, who did not have a key to the house, went into Yung’s backyard shed and retrieved a pickaxe. Ooten then used the pickaxe to break the glass in the window of the back door and gain entry to the house. Once inside the home, Ooten used the pickaxe to damage property, and to break into Yung’s locked gun safe. Ooten stole a .40 cal firearm from Yung’s gun safe.
Yung’s motion-activated security system captured video of Ooten pacing in the living room while holding the stolen firearm, and of Ooten leaving the house with the firearm. Officers received additional information that Ooten had made statements to Yung and Ooten’s sister threatening to harm any police officers who attempted to apprehend him.
Although Ooten had cut off the home incarceration ankle monitor before leaving Yung’s residence with the stolen firearm so that his whereabouts were no longer traceable, Ooten was eventually located sitting on a swing at Barb Cook Park in Latonia. Ooten would not respond to officer commands or their attempts to make contact with him. Despite Ooten’s previous threats and his non-responsiveness, Covington Police were eventually able to take Ooten into custody without further incident.
In December of 2021, Ooten was indicted in two separate cases on charges of Theft by Unlawful Taking – Firearm, Possession of Handgun by Convicted Felon, Criminal Mischief, Tampering With a Prisoner Monitoring Device, and Escape in the Second Degree, for the events that occurred on November 4.
Kentucky mandates that charges of Escape and Tampering with Prisoner Monitoring Device cannot be tried with other charges to avoid any unnecessary prejudice to defendants. Ooten’s first trial, on those charges, was held in August of 2022. That jury convicted Ooten of Escape in the Second Degree, Tampering with a Prisoner Monitoring Device, and being a Persistent Felony Offender in the First Degree. Judge Patricia Summe followed the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Ooten to 13 years in prison.
On March 27, 2024, Ooten’s second trial began on the charges of Possession of Handgun by a Convicted Felon, Theft by Unlawful Taking – Firearm, and Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily Arnzen called the victim, Mr. Ed Yung, and Covington Officers Gordon Purvis and Jay Zerhusen to testify. The jury saw the photos of the damage Ooten caused to Yung’s home and saw the videos of Ooten in possession of the stolen firearm. After less than 30 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Ooten guilty of all charges.
Ooten testified during the sentencing phase of the trial, and attempted to explain his criminal behavior by claiming that he was suicidal. After hearing details of Ooten’s criminal history, including convictions for Rape and Failure to Comply with the Sex Offender Registry, the jury also convicted Ooten of being a Persistent Felony Offender in the First Degree. Despite being told that Kentucky law caps sentences for Class C and Class D felonies at 20 years, the jury recommended that Ooten serve 40 years in prison.
At final, formal sentencing before Judge Summe on April 1, 2024, Ooten’s attorneys argued that a fair and just outcome would be the minimum sentence of 10 years. Although Kentucky law prohibits the 40-year sentence recommended by the jury, the Commonwealth argued that the Court should follow the jury’s recommendation of imposing the maximum sentence.
Asst. Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily Arnzen emphasized that this case was egregious because of Ooten’s threats to law enforcement and dangerous behavior. Arnzen further stated Ooten’s criminal history demonstrates a consistent inability to successfully live in the community. Arnzen said, “This recommendation from the jury certainly shows Kenton County citizens won’t tolerate career criminals. Jesse Ooten is a convicted child-rapist who repeatedly violated the rules of the sex offender registry after being released from prison, and then continued to engage in crimes against the one person who was trying to help him. The Commonwealth believed that was absolutely unacceptable, and the jury agreed!”
Judge Summe followed the recommendation of the second jury and the Commonwealth, and sentenced Ooten to the maximum sentence allowed by Kentucky law of 20 years, consecutive to the 13 years previously imposed.
Ooten has one case still pending in Kenton County courts, in which he is charged with Failure to Comply with the Sex Offender Registration and as being a Persistent Felony Offender in the First Degree. All Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
For additional information contact:
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders
Posted on Thursday, April 11th, 2024 @ 6:25PM
Categories: Blog, Commonwealth's Commentary, Media/Press Releases, Press Room
