A Florida woman discovered that three vacant lots she had owned for about 20 years had been transferred out of her name without her permission. She reported the changes to deputies on August 27, 2026, after receiving a call from the Flagler County Clerk of Courts, according to a charging affidavit.
Two weeks later, one of the Palm Coast lots was sold to an unsuspecting buyer. Investigators say forged deeds had placed the properties in the name of a company controlled by another woman.
Melissa Ann Jester, 41, of Bunnell, was arrested November 6 following the investigation. Deputies located her driving in Bunnell and took her into custody on an outstanding warrant.
The sheriff’s office announced the arrest November 9, and its statement published by Flagler County Buzz reported that detectives recovered more than $20,000. The court filings detail how investigators followed a filing-fee payment, surveillance footage and transfers between two bank accounts.
A Filing-Fee Refund Was Sent to a Vacant House
A five-page excerpt of the charging affidavit, filed November 6, describes deed-transfer paperwork submitted by mail on June 29. Detective Mark Rexford wrote that the documents placed the three properties in Florida Ohana Homes LLC’s name and that the owner denied signing the deed.
The paperwork arrived with an $80 Amscot money order dated June 18 and purchased under a different name. The money order overpaid the recording fees, prompting the clerk to mail a reimbursement check. It came back undeliverable because the destination was a vacant house where mail could not be forwarded, according to the affidavit.
Amscot supplied footage of a woman arriving in a silver Chevrolet SUV and using an automated teller that did not require identification. Rexford later connected Jester’s vehicle to the area of the money-order purchase and the location where the sale documents were signed.
Florida business records identify Melissa A. Jester as an authorized member of Florida Ohana Homes LLC. The company was formed March 4, 2025, and lists a Bunnell business address.
UPS Store Surveillance Recorded the Sale Paperwork
Rexford found one of the lots advertised on Zillow on September 29, according to the affidavit. The listing agent told him he had purchased it September 10 from Florida Ohana Homes through Northwest Title Group and supplied documents from the transaction.
The warranty deed identified Jester as the company’s managing member. Investigators obtained UPS Store surveillance showing her entering the Belle Terre Parkway location at approximately 2:28 p.m.; the documents were notarized at 2:31 p.m., Rexford wrote.
Northwest Title Group supplied information showing that its escrow account wired $29,970 to Florida Ohana Homes’ Bank of America account on September 10. The sheriff’s office described the purchaser as unaware of the alleged fraud.
Her Personal Account Held $6.66 Before the Transfers
The affidavit says Jester’s personal VyStar Credit Union account held $6.66 before receiving money from the company account. A $6,000 transfer arrived September 14, followed by another $2,000 on September 24.
Rexford wrote that the VyStar statements showed spending around Flagler County, including hotel stays. Investigators arranged a law-enforcement hold on September 30, when the account contained $6,974.29.
By October 22, VyStar had confirmed that the account remained frozen and that those funds would be seized, according to the affidavit. The sheriff’s subsequent announcement reported completed seizures of more than $14,000 from the company account and more than $6,000 from Jester’s credit union account.
Court Records Set a December 8 Arraignment on Two Felony Charges
A three-page court-record packet contains the arrest warrant, case summary and arraignment notice for case 2026 CF 000980. The summary lists grand theft over $20,000 and organized scheme to defraud over $20,000, both second-degree felonies.
The warrant sets bonds of $30,000 on the grand-theft count and $15,000 on the organized-fraud count. A November 9 notice schedules arraignment for December 8 at 8:30 a.m. before Judge Dawn Nichols in Courtroom 401.
The official booking record listed Jester as awaiting trial with both bonds active when checked November 14. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Use Recording Alerts to Check for Unauthorized Deeds
The Flagler County Clerk’s free Recording Activity Notifications service emails subscribers when new documents are recorded under registered names. Property owners living outside the county can enroll, too. Register relevant name variations and confirm the subscription through the emailed link, because the service uses exact name matches.
The clerk’s guidance explains that alerts cover Flagler County records and begin after signup. They do not prevent fraudulent filings, and a common name may produce an alert about someone else’s document. Use the recording information in the email to obtain and review the actual deed.
If a document concerns your property and you did not authorize it, preserve a copy and report suspected forgery to law enforcement. Flagler County residents can contact the sheriff’s office at 386-313-4911. Seek legal assistance to address a disputed title, especially if the property has already been sold to another buyer.
