A man who resorted to physical violence rather than give up a seat assigned to another Pompano Beach moviegoer was sentenced this week to 21 months in prison after he reached a plea agreement with Broward prosecutors.
Jesse Montez Thorton, 28, pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, a charge that stemmed from a July 2023 confrontation at the AMC movie theater on Federal Highway. According to a police report, Thorton took someone else’s assigned seat at a showing of the horror movie “Insidious,” and when the 63-year-old ticketholder asked him to move, Thorton got violent, punching him repeatedly on the theater steps.
The Broward State Attorney’s Office said Thorton’s lack of a prior criminal record and his status as a veteran factored into the decision to resolve the case. Thorton has been in custody for 18 months, the bulk of his sentence.
He is facing unrelated charges of battery and resisting arrest stemming from a February 2024 domestic incident in Fort Lauderdale. He’s due in court on those charges next week.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.