While investigators look into possible terrorism connections, a judge has increased his bail on burglary and theft charges to $550,000.

A judge on Thursday granted the state’s request to significantly increase the bail for a 19-year-old Ocala man accused of researching materials linked to the Islamic State group, conducting internet searches about Jewish schools in Ocala, and possessing multiple firearms including an AK-47.

Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti raised the bail for Jonathan Beese from $29,000 to $550,000. Beese remains at the Marion County Jail, where he's being held on charges of burglary of a conveyance armed, grand theft of a firearm and possession of burglary tools.

To support his argument for increasing Beese’s bail, Assistant State Attorney William Gladson said authorities have evidence of internet searches and research by Beese “regarding traveling overseas to places where ISIL operates.”

The prosecutor said authorities also have information concerning “his (Beese's) research into firearms and explosives, operational security matters, as well as his downloading of materials used by Westerners supporting ISIL.”

Beese was arrested April 3 along with his girlfriend, Kristin Sparks, 19. She faces the same charges and is being held at the jail with bail set at $9,000.

According to information revealed during the hearing, members of Sparks’ family told FBI agents that she converted to Islam in 2014. Beese’s mother had searched a computer and found out her son had been researching how to travel to Sudan and had became interested in Islam in the summer of 2014, after he was introduced to the religion by two friends.

The relationship between Beese and Sparks began in September 2015, after the two met at a mosque in Ocala, according to FBI officials.

During the 20-minute bail hearing at the Marion County Judicial Center, Tatti told Beese that if he posts a bond and is released from jail he must wear a GPS ankle monitor. He also would be prohibited from using or owning a cellphone, electronic device or the internet; would have to surrender his passport; could not have any contact with Sparks, nor go to her residence; and could not own or possess any firearms or ammunition.

The state had asked for such bond restrictions. Tatti told Beese’s lawyer, Andrew Pozzuto, of the law firm Alavi, Bird & Pozzuto, that if circumstances change, then they can revisit the case.

During the hearing, Marion County sheriff’s detective (and FBI task force officer) Zackary Hughes told the court that, based on the material gathered during the ongoing investigation, Beese poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk.

Hughes said Beese was researching multiple topics on the internet, including Jewish schools in Ocala, guns, room breaching, and information about the border between Jordan and Israel.

Hughes said agents have executed more than a dozen search warrants so far.

Hughes told Pozzuto that investigators do not know what software or search engine Beese used, but are analyzing computers seized at Beese’s home to find that information. The defense attorney suggested that anyone could have used the computer, but Hughes told him that, at the time the computers were confiscated, Beese's room was locked.

Gladson wrote in his bail request that “much of the information gathered during the investigation is a matter of national security and is not fully known to the State Attorney’s Office.” He further said that one search warrant contains additional information that was previously unavailable to the state, as well as County Judge Sarah Ritterhoff Williams, who set Beese's bail right after his arrest.

A search warrant attached to Gladson’s motion stated that Beese became the subject of an FBI investigation on July 29, 2015. On Feb. 2, the investigation expanded to include Sparks because of her close association with Beese.

On or about March 18, investigators noted, Sparks had a telephone conversation with someone during which she said she was going to Israel with the man she intends to marry — Beese — and that he wants to free Palestine and fight.

“The man I have to marry is teaching me to shoot guns. I will always carry a knife with me, too,” she said, according to Gladson’s motion.

Agents reported seeing Beese and Sparks together on numerous occasions, including on Feb. 20, when the two were doing firearms and tactical training together.

On that day, it was noted during the hearing, Sparks was seen leaving a residence wearing “the traditional clothing of women practicing the Muslim faith,” and holding a long rifle in her hands.

A source told FBI officials that a man at the residence gave Sparks firearm lessons, such as how to move with the weapon and fire at staged targets nearby. The source later heard gunfire.

On July 24, 2015, sheriff’s deputies went to an Ocala address Beese's mother called saying she had concerns. His mother had found a Muslim robe, prayer beads and a copy of the Quran in his room, along with several books about Islam, index cards with various writings on them, and emails/online messages referring to ISIL.

Two days later, Beese's mother gave sheriff’s officials two laptops. An FBI analysis showed that Beese had downloaded ISIL material “aimed at Western supporters,” and had researched explosives, obtaining firearms, foreign locations where ISIL has affiliations, and documents detailing how “extremists can practice operational security and carry out attacks.”

Beese also conducted other internet searches relating to guns, gun shows, state laws on purchasing a silencer, and how to change a Twitter screen name or actual name.

On April 3, a sheriff’s deputy went to a Citra home in response to complaints about shots fired in a residential neighborhood. The deputy saw Beese and Sparks on the property, shooting at targets. Beese told the deputy the gun belonged to his girlfriend’s estate.

About two hours after the deputy talked with them, Beese, who was under surveillance, was seen failing to come to a complete stop in the 3500 block of West U.S. 27. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, and Beese gave consent to search the car. The deputy found an AK-47 in the trunk. The FBI was notified.

Beese told an FBI agent that he and Sparks had been talking about the location of several firearms on Sparks’ property, which belonged to her father. Beese told the agent he had purchased a reciprocating saw from Home Depot and used it to cut open the trunk of a vehicle that belongs to a member of Sparks' family.

From that trunk he took an AK-47-style sporter rifle, an SKS-style sporter rifle, and an M1 Garand rifle. He said Beese took the firearms to his home in Ocala, where he lives with his parents and younger brother.

Sparks told FBI agents that she helped Beese take the rifles from the car trunk and was aware that Beese was storing them at his home.

Both were arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

Following the arrests, a warrant was obtained to search Beese’s home for the guns and any device that could access Facebook messenger. The warrant also allowed for a search of Sparks’ home, for the purposes of seizing an Apple MacBook computer.

While searching both premises, FBI agents talked with Sparks’ family and were told that she showed “unusual interest in the firearms concealed in the trunk,” and that Beese had begun training her in hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship, the motion noted.

Beese had also asked about the location of the firearms and said he planned to use the AK-47 for hunting, according to the motion.

Outside the courtroom after the hearing, neither Pozzuto nor Beese’s parents, who were in attendance, wanted to comment. Sparks, who remains at the jail, declined an interview request. Gladson also declined to comment.

Beese arrived back at the jail a little after 1 p.m. He also declined to comment.

In Citra on Thursday afternoon, a man who lives next door to the Sparks family, who did not want to give his name, said that on April 3 he heard shots fired in "rapid succession" at the family's property. He said they do have hunters in the area, but he could tell it was "no hunters."

The man said deputies soon showed up, followed later by people in unmarked vehicles. He said he was curious about what was going on, but did not ask any of the family members.

He said they are a "good, decent family that keeps mostly to themselves." He said the father has had a tough couple of years with the deaths of both his wife and his mother.

The man said he had seen Kristin Sparks waiting at a school bus stop, but was not certain which school she attended.

Through the years, Beese attended Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks and Francis Marion Military Academy, and graduated from West Port High School, School District spokesman Kevin Christian said. Sparks attended Sparr Elementary and North Marion Middle School before leaving district schools in 2010.

— Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.