Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A man named Sam Eric Haywood, Jr., aged 36, was taken into custody yesterday for supposedly taking $375 worth of snow crab clusters from a Publix grocery store. Previously, he has been involved in three separate theft incidents and was part of a Drug Court treatment program.

According to a report from a Gainesville Police Department officer, at approximately 1:23 p.m. on July 19, Haywood visited the Publix located at the corner of NW 13th Street and NW 39th Avenue. There, he requested snow crab clusters valued at $374.44. After placing these items in a shopping cart, he strolled around the store. Meanwhile, the store manager, who was observing him, saw Haywood abandon the cart within the store and exit the premises. Haywood then reportedly entered a vehicle, stepped out, and reentered the store.

Once back inside, Haywood noticed that the crab clusters had been placed back at the seafood counter. Subsequently, he became “belligerent” with the seafood manager, insisting on getting the crab clusters back. After the manager returned the crab clusters to him, Haywood allegedly proceeded to the self-checkout area where he scanned three items totaling $10 while pushing the cart of crab clusters out of the store.

The manager went to the self-checkout register and printed out the receipt, noting that Haywood had not paid for the snow crab clusters.

The vehicle was reportedly found in the 300 block of SE 26th Terrace, and Haywood was reportedly found hiding in the attic of a home, where he was arrested for petit theft and three active warrants.

Haywood has been charged with petit theft with two or more previous convictions, a felony. He has three felony convictions (non-violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent). In December 2024, he entered a plea of nolo contendere in three petit theft cases and one grand theft case, charges with a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison; Judge Denise Ferrero ordered him released to Drug Court for treatment services in a post-plea diversion program, with the condition that if he failed to abide by the conditions of the program, he would be adjudicated guilty and sentenced to 18 months in prison (charges in one case were dropped as part of the plea deal).

On June 25, a court officer recommended that Haywood be removed from the Drug Court program for failing to appear in court three times and for violating the law on May 12, when he allegedly took small appliances worth $598 from Walmart.

Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $25,000 for the Publix case and $50,000 for the Walmart case; Haywood will be held without bond on the other three cases until those are resolved.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.