BY NANCY DRURY DUNCAN, Eastern Shore Post —
A 40-year-old Parksley man pleaded guilty to abduction, strangulation, rape, and attempting to escape from. jail.
Lance Carl Jester entered into a pleaagreement with the commonwealth that limited his time in prison to 13 years.
In November 2021, Jester called the victim, a woman with whom he had an earlier two-year relationship. He asked her to come to his house to discuss a painting job, which she did. He suddenly assaulted her, strangled her until she passed out, and raped her.
The prosecution presented the court with photographic evidence of her injuries. When he came out of his frenzy, the woman tried to reason with him in hope of getting away, said Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan.
He said Jester suggested they go to his current girlfriend’s house “to end her.” He told the woman to follow him there in her car.
The woman did not follow him and instead contacted police. She was taken for a sexual assault exam. DNA evidence connected Jester to the crimes.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Baker prosecuted the attempted escape from jail charge against Jester.
In April 2022, while Jester was incarcerated in the Accomack County jail, he was outside in the recreation yard when he was seen looking at the fence and then backing away from it. He ran toward it and began scaling the fence.
“He was severely cut by the razor wire,” said Baker.
He said the entire incident was seen by a deputy. Jester’s sentencing is set for Dec.12.
