Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Luke Michael Lattin, 25, faces armed trespassing and property-damage charges after investigators said he cut through locks at Alachua County Animal Resources and removed his dog from a secured kennel. Lattin has remained in the Alachua County Jail since July, when he was arrested in connection with an alleged construction-site burglary. He also faces a separate felony property-damage charge stemming from incidents at the jail.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said Lattin went to Alachua County Animal Services, located at 3400 NE 53rd Avenue, on July 10 and asked to visit his dog. A staff member reportedly told him he had to wait in the lobby until an employee was available to escort him into the restricted area. Lattin remained there, according to the investigation.
Another employee later accompanied Lattin to the kennel. Lattin allegedly asked that the kennel be opened so he could take the dog out, but the employee told him he was not permitted to do so and escorted him back to the lobby. The arrest report does not explain why the dog could not be released to Lattin.
Investigators allege that Lattin waited until the employees had left the lobby before using a knife to cut through two locks leading into the secure section of the shelter. He then allegedly broke the lock on his dog’s kennel and pried open the gate. After removing the dog, Lattin reportedly exited the restricted area and headed toward the parking lot.
A witness in the parking lot reportedly saw Lattin walking the dog without a leash and attempted to get his attention. When the witness asked him to leash the animal, Lattin allegedly turned around and displayed the knife he was carrying.
A shelter employee and the parking-lot witness both reportedly identified Lattin as the man they saw inside the facility and outside with the dog.
The animal shelter incident resulted in charges of armed trespassing and misdemeanor property damage.
Lattin’s earlier arrest occurred July 15, when a Gainesville Police Department officer reportedly saw him inside a fenced construction area at Butler Plaza. The officer said Lattin appeared to be attempting to enter a building on the site. After being ordered to stop, Lattin allegedly ran farther into the construction area before officers detained him. A search following the arrest reportedly uncovered a lockpick set.
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In that case, Lattin was charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, resisting an officer without violence and possession of burglary tools.
A separate investigation at the Alachua County Jail began August 1. Jail surveillance video reportedly showed Lattin crouching near his cell door frame and standing moments later with a small piece of metal in his hand. Officers subsequently found damage to the frame and discovered that part of it was missing.
The following day, jail video allegedly captured Lattin holding the same metal piece before approaching the camera. He reportedly reached toward the device and scratched its lens cover. The combined damage to the cell door frame and camera was estimated at $1,000.
Lattin faces a felony property-damage charge related to the jail incidents.
Lattin has no criminal convictions. Judges set bail at $55,000 in the original burglary case, $50,000 for the alleged property damage at the jail and $30,000 for the animal shelter case.
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.
