BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A registered sex offender was arrested after police say he entered hotel rooms without permission and took items from inside a downtown Boca Raton hotel, according to a Boca Raton Police Department arrest report filed in court.
The incident unfolded April 25 at the Hyatt Place hotel at 100 E. Palmetto Park Road, a high-traffic corridor just east of downtown Boca Raton. Officers were dispatched to the property after hotel staff reported a man dressed in black was moving between guest rooms and removing items.
Police located a man matching that description outside the building near a bus stop and detained him, investigators wrote in the report.
The man initially gave officers a false identity. A fingerprint scan later identified him as Jesse James Delano, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens.
According to investigators, Delano is a registered sexual offender stemming from a prior conviction involving a sexual battery case in Palm Beach County. He is also facing separate charges in Palm Beach Gardens tied to alleged violations of Florida’s sex offender registration requirements.
The Boca Raton investigation centers on activity inside the Hyatt Place hotel earlier that day.
A hotel employee told police that around midday, while cleaning a guest room, a man entered the room uninvited and refused to leave. The employee said the man remained inside for about 20 minutes before exiting.
Hotel management also reported that a man forced open locked lobby doors on the west side of the building and accessed the hotel’s snack market. Surveillance footage reviewed by officers showed the individual carrying chips and drinks past the front desk without paying, according to the report.
Another employee told police the same man attempted to charge items to a room using false information before leaving the area.
The value of the stolen items was estimated at approximately $25.
Investigators said video evidence captured the man forcing open glass doors and later moving through the building with food and drinks. A hotel front desk worker later identified Delano as the individual seen entering the property and taking items.
During questioning, Delano denied entering the hotel before later admitting he had gone into a guest room, according to the report.
Police concluded Delano “intentionally forced his way into the occupied hotel” and took items without attempting to pay, leading to multiple charges.
He was charged with burglary of an occupied structure, retail theft, and providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
Delano was taken to Boca Raton Regional Hospital for medical clearance before being transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
Jail records show he remained in custody with bonds totaling $58,000 across multiple charges tied to the case.
Court records indicate Delano is also facing ongoing legal proceedings in Palm Beach County related to his status as a registered sex offender, including allegations he failed to properly register his residence as required under Florida law.
The case is now moving through the Palm Beach County court system. A judge has already found probable cause on the Boca Raton charges, and future hearings have been scheduled as the prosecution proceeds.
For Boca Raton residents and visitors, the incident highlights a familiar issue for hotels along major corridors like Palmetto Park Road — open-access lobbies and high guest turnover can create opportunities for unauthorized entry if security measures are bypassed.
Hotel management in this case indicated they intend to pursue criminal charges, and police confirmed the incident was captured on surveillance video.
Search our archive of Boca Raton arrests, booking logs, and criminal charge reports for ongoing and recent cases.
