Teen Charged With Arson In Wilkes County

An Elkin teenager has been charged with multiple counts of arson from fires that took place in Wilkes County.

18-year old Jessie William Lester is charged with one count of first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson , one count of setting fire to woods/land/fields, and one count of burning certain buildings.

The fires took place between April and June of this year. An estimated $60,000 damage was done to a home. A barn-type structure was damaged as well as a wooded area.

Lester is being held in the Wilkes County Detention Center under a $250,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing.

The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation along with the North Carolina Forest Service and the Wilkes County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Photo: Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office