Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On May 6, Finley Johnson, 50, was taken into custody for possession of drug paraphernalia and now faces a felony shoplifting charge. A security guard at Butler Plaza reported that Johnson appeared in the area after warrants for his arrest were issued in Marion County.
According to reports from May 1, Johnson allegedly swiped a case of beer and a pack of deli chicken from Publix located at 3930 SW Archer Road without paying. A manager from the store recounted that Johnson left on a bicycle, but his journey was short-lived. He toppled off the bike shortly after leaving the store, causing the chicken and beer to fall onto the pavement. The impact led to one of the beer cans bursting, soaking the cardboard case. Although nearby EMTs offered assistance, Johnson reportedly declined, opting instead to gather the drenched beer case, remount his bike, and pedal away.
However, Johnson’s escape did not go smoothly. He fell off his bicycle again, sending beer cans tumbling from the soggy cardboard. Determined, he reportedly picked up as many cans as possible and attempted to continue on his way.
Once more, Johnson found himself on the ground after a third fall, abandoning the remaining beer cans as he rode off. A security guard at Butler Plaza, who had been alerted to the alleged theft, observed Johnson as he made his way to the Circle K station across SW Archer Road. There, the guard engaged with him.
Although the security guard called for a patrol officer to apprehend Johnson, no officers were available due to other pressing incidents. In the absence of law enforcement, the guard documented Johnson’s identity with photographs and notes before releasing him.
Because Johnson said he did not have identification on him, the security guard used facial recognition technology to confirm that the name he provided matched records in law enforcement databases.
A Gainesville Police Department detective learned that Johnson had active warrants out of Marion and Putnam counties, with statewide extradition, and he reported that the security guard said Johnson had recently “popped up” in the homeless areas around SW Archer Road and Butler Plaza; the detective noted that this happened right after the Marion County warrants were issued.
A bulletin was distributed to officers to watch for Johnson, and on May 6, a Butler Plaza security guard said Johnson was at a Quik Stop on SW 34th Street. A GPD patrol officer responded and arrested Johnson on the new charge and on the warrants.
A search incident to arrest reportedly produced needles and a burnt glass pipe, and post Miranda, Johnson reportedly said he used them to inject methamphetamines and smoke “weed.” He was identified with his Indiana driver’s license.
Johnson was booked on the shoplifting charge on May 26.
Johnson, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with petit theft with two or more previous convictions (a felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has five felony convictions (one violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (one violent), and he is on probation out of Marion County. He has an unspecified criminal history in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina between 1996 and 2025. He has two active out-of-state warrants, along with the Marion and Putnam County warrants and two active injunctions; he also has an unspecified federal criminal history between 1996 and 2001. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $50,000 on the drug paraphernalia charge, and Judge Meshon Rawls added $20,000 on the shoplifting charge.
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
