Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Michael Neil Wallace, 48, was arrested yesterday after authorities said he posted a threat on Facebook to kill a Gainesville Police Department officer who had previously dealt with him during an investigation.
According to the arrest report, Wallace allegedly published the post on August 13, 2025, addressing the officer and asking what he had been looking for when he “illegally searched” Wallace’s business, a barber shop called “Posh Haircuts for Men.” The post also accused the officer of stalking Wallace’s wife and included numerous derogatory insults. It ended with the statement, “I just publicly told him if he ever comes near me or my wife again, I’m going to kill him. Period. Try me.”
Investigators reported that the post came from an account using the name “Michael Wallace.” The account’s profile photo reportedly shows Wallace standing in front of a sign that reads “POSH.”
The officer told investigators he had prior contact with Wallace in May 2025, when Wallace was placed under a Baker Act. Shortly after that incident, Wallace allegedly published another post that identified the officer and members of his family and referenced a specific tattoo on the officer’s arm. That earlier post did not contain threats, according to the report.
The August post made the officer fear for his own safety and the safety of his family, authorities said.
Wallace has been charged with making a written threat to kill. Court and arrest records show he has five prior non-violent felony convictions and 19 misdemeanor convictions. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2006. Wallace is also facing separate charges in Marion County for stalking and making a written threat to kill. Judge Meshon Rawls set his bail at $500,000.
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.
