Man who trespassed on Columbia schools arrested

A man who pleaded guilty to trespassing on Columbia Public Schools property in April was arrested again on Tuesday in connection with a previous trespassing charge.

Kelvin Joe, 54, of Columbia, was booked into the Boone County Jail Tuesday evening. Boone County Sheriff’s deputies saw Joe’s car parked at Mari’s on Prathersville Road, said Boone County Detective Tom O’Sullivan. Deputies knew Joe had a warrant out for his arrest and took him into custody.

Joe set off a scare in April after he was seen on camera approaching a student on the Gentry Middle School campus. The incident came after Joe had been warned against trespassing at a private school.

Joe told police he went to the schools to “bless them” and felt compelled to do so, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case. Joe was charged in April with the West Middle School incident and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Joe was sentenced to two years of probation after his guilty plea, and the court said he will spend 180 days in jail if he violates his probation.

Joe was then charged in June with trespassing and driving with a revoked license for the Gentry incident. His Tuesday arrest was in connection with that case. Joe has since bonded out of jail.

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