Florida Keys spirits shop owner could face death for abuse charges, prosecutors say
A Monroe County grand jury this week indicted a Florida Keys spirits shop owner on child sexual abuse charges that possibly carry the death penalty.
Jeffrey Scott Kesling is accused of sexually battering a 3- and 7-year-old child over an almost two-year time period.
The grand jury indicted Kesling, 43, of two counts of sexual battery on a child under the age of 12, which is a capital felony under Florida law, and three counts of lewd and lascivious molestation, which caries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
'There are no words strong enough to describe the cruelty of these crimes. A 3-year-old and a 7-year-old — these are babies. What happened to them is monstrous, Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward said in a statement Tuesday. 'The State of Florida allows the death penalty for a reason in cases like this, and if the facts warrant it, we will pursue it. We have a duty to protect our children and bring justice for what they've endured.'
Monroe County Sheriff's Office detectives began investigating abuse allegations against Kesling in March, the same month his wife filed a domestic violence injunction against him. Details about the children's relationship with Kesling have not been released by the courts, the sheriff's office or prosecutors.
With the sexual battery charges, Kesling is not eligible for bond, so he remains in county jail. A judge set his bond on the lewd and lascivious counts at $150,000 each.
'This isn't just criminal — it's evil. Anyone who sexually violates a 3-year-old or a 7-year-old has no place in our society,' Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield said in a statement. 'This case will be prosecuted aggressively. Our community needs to know that when it comes to protecting children, there is no room for compromise. No plea deals. No leniency. Only accountability.'
The alleged crimes happened between June 2023 and December 2024, according to prosecutors.
Kesling is owner of Keys' Meads in Key Largo, which sells and distills mead, a fermented honey alcoholic drink. The company's website indicates his business opened in 2017 and has grown from manufacturing meads to functioning as a distillery and vendor for popular Renaissance fairs throughout the state.
Kesling is represented by Coral Gables criminal defense attorney Jean-Michel D'Escoubet, who said he could not comment on the specifics of the allegations, but called his client in a statement, 'a long standing respected member of the community in the Florida Keys both personally and professionally.'
'He should continue to be treated with that respect and the presumption of innocence our Constitution provides all persons charged with a crime, even those for which he is currently charged, regardless of how distasteful they appear on their face,' D'Escoubet said.
Miami Herald staff writer Devoun Cetoute contributed to this report.
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