Dade County Jury Convicts Man of Child Molestation; Victim’s Testimony Key

Jesse Miles Seals was found guilty of child molestation by a Dade County jury following a two-day trial held on April 21-22, 2025, before the Honorable Judge Don Thompson in Dade County Superior Court.

The conviction stemmed from compelling testimony by the victim, who recounted numerous instances of inappropriate interactions with Seals that began when she was approximately 12 years old and he was dating her older sister. The victim testified that when she was 15, Seals, then 33, took her on a midnight drive and molested her. A witness corroborated the victim’s emotional state shortly after the incident, describing her as hyperventilating and in tears. The jury also heard from three other women who detailed inappropriate touchings and interactions by Seals when they were teenage girls, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior.

Following the guilty verdict, Judge Thompson imposed a sentence of 20 years, with 15 years to be served in the Department of Corrections, followed by probation under specific sex offender conditions.

Detective Misty McConathy of the Dade County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller led the prosecution, supported by administrative staff Annabelle Carter and Tamara Clayton, Victim Advocate Amy Reed, and Chief Investigator Christy Smith.

In a statement released after the verdict, the victim expressed her appreciation, saying, “I want to thank District Attorney Fuller, Detective McConathy, and the entire DA’s Office for standing by me and believing me. I was scared, but they helped give me the strength to speak out and get justice for me and the other girls.”

District Attorney Fuller commended the victim’s bravery and issued a stern warning: “If you’re a grown man who targets teenage girls in our community, expect to spend the next chapter of your life behind bars. I know Sheriff Ray Cross has my back on this: we don’t tolerate predators in Dade County – not now, not ever.”