GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a rather ironic twist, Anterio Jaquez Sheppard, aged 26, found himself in custody following an unusual sequence of events involving his own firearm. The Gainesville resident was apprehended for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a charge that arose after he reported the weapon stolen and openly admitted to regularly carrying it.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of December 26, 2025, around 1:50 a.m. Sheppard approached a Gainesville Police Department officer near the 800 block of West University Avenue. He claimed that during a confrontation, someone had struck him in the stomach and made off with his gun. To substantiate his claim, Sheppard provided a sworn written statement asserting that the firearm had been tucked into his waistband when it was taken.

In his conversation with the officer, Sheppard disclosed that he routinely carried the firearm, which had been a gift from his girlfriend. He had even gone so far as to customize it with a special grip and an extended magazine. According to his statement, he habitually carried the weapon loaded with a full magazine of 22 rounds plus one round in the chamber, totaling 23 rounds. On the fateful night, he reportedly had the gun in his waistband because he had left his holster at home.

Supporting Sheppard’s account, a witness confirmed seeing the firearm in his waistband prior to the alleged robbery. Additionally, surveillance footage from the area corroborated Sheppard’s narrative, showing him with an object in his waistband consistent with his description of the gun’s placement.

Following the investigation, the officer involved filed a sworn complaint regarding Sheppard’s possession of the firearm. This led to a warrant for his arrest being issued by Judge Robert Groeb on January 30, culminating in Sheppard’s arrest for illegal firearm possession.

The officer filed a sworn complaint following the incident, and on January 30, a warrant for Sheppard’s arrest was issued by Judge Robert Groeb.

Sheppard has a felony conviction for burglary from a 2018 incident and is not allowed to possess firearms. He has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $100,000.

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.