Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – John Earlington Bentley, 46, was taken into custody last night on charges of drug possession, child neglect, and other offenses after he reportedly concealed a bag of fentanyl in a baby’s car seat.

At about 9:48 p.m. on September 5, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to stop before entering SW Williston Road from a gas station. Bentley was reportedly the front seat passenger in the vehicle, and there was an infant in a car seat in the back seat.

The deputy reported that while he was speaking to the driver, Bentley made several erratic movements toward the back seat. After the driver reportedly provided consent to search the vehicle, Bentley allegedly ran from deputies but was apprehended after several taser deployments.

The search of the vehicle reportedly produced a clear bag containing about 1.4 grams of a substance that tested positive for fentanyl; the bag was found concealed in the baby’s car seat.

Post Miranda, Bentley reportedly said that when the car was pulled over, he put the bag of “cocaine” under the driver’s seat; he added that he had purchased the “cocaine” for $50 earlier in the day and had consumed almost half of it. He said he ran from deputies because he had a felony warrant and he knew deputies had found the drugs.

Bentley has been charged with possession of fentanyl, tampering with evidence, child neglect without great bodily harm, and resisting an officer without violence.

Bentley was also booked on a warrant for failing to appear at a hearing for driving without a license as a habitual offender. He was originally issued a citation in April 2024, but after a formal charge was filed, a warrant for his arrest was issued, with bail set at $5,000; his attorney filed a motion for release on his own recognizance, arguing that he had already appeared in court and had kept in contact with his attorney. Judge David Kreider granted the motion, Bentley was arrested and released on his own recognizance, and another warrant was issued for Bentley’s arrest after he failed to appear at a hearing in March 2025, with bail set at $50,000. Bentley was booked on that warrant last night.

Bentley is also facing a sworn complaint for an incident on August 16 at the Alachua Lowe’s in which he allegedly conspired with a co-defendant to steal a paint sprayer and tankless water heater.

Bentley has four felony convictions (one violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (two violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2001. Judge George Wright set bail at $100,000 on the new charges, on top of the $50,000 from the warrant.

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.