Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jennifer Jean Reeder, age 39, found herself under arrest yesterday following reports from concerned patrons at Bass Pro Shops. They alerted a deputy about a woman, accompanied by a young child, who was struggling to walk and seemed to be talking to herself.

On the evening of December 15, at approximately 7:51 p.m., an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to Bass Pro Shops located at 2650 Bass Pro Shops Boulevard. Upon arrival, several employees and shoppers informed the deputy about a woman, later identified as Reeder, exhibiting erratic behavior while in the company of her child.

Engaging with Reeder, the deputy learned she had traveled to the store with her child to visit Santa and had consumed two Klonopin pills. Observations from the deputy noted a plastic bag, commonly associated with illicit drugs, visible in the vehicle’s center console.

Reeder reportedly explained she was attempting to return home with her daughter, but her car had failed to start.

With Reeder’s consent, the deputy searched her vehicle, uncovering 0.2 grams of methamphetamine and two prescription bottles lacking labels, both containing Klonopin pills. However, the initially observed bag in the console was missing. The deputy highlighted that the methamphetamine and prescription bottles were within easy reach of the child.

Post Miranda, Reeder reportedly said the drugs were “ice,” and she gave the deputy two glass pipes and a plastic bag of a substance she identified as “crack”; the bag reportedly contained 1.1 grams of a substance that tested positive for cocaine.

Reeder has been charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, four counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her full criminal history is unavailable, but locally, she has at least 24 felony convictions for theft and fraud charges from over 10 years ago and a misdemeanor conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia from March 2025. Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $42,000 on the new charges.

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.