Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Ali Demetron Manuel, 34, was detained on May 1 for domestic battery and is now facing accusations of taking a tablet from Buffalo Wild Wings and exchanging it at an Eco-ATM.

Manuel was apprehended after allegedly striking his partner twice while they were in a car together. The next day, additional charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen goods were filed.

On April 23, Manuel, who had been employed at Buffalo Wild Wings (located at 6401 W. Newberry Road) for roughly two months, reportedly noticed a black work tablet worth about $1,200 in the restaurant’s kitchen. According to a Gainesville Police Department Detective, surveillance footage captured Manuel concealing the tablet with clothing, stepping away briefly, then returning to the tablet, picking it up along with the clothes, and quickly heading into a walk-in refrigerator. Shortly after, Manuel is observed exiting the refrigerator and returning the clothes to the rack where he initially found the tablet, but the tablet was no longer visible. He later took the clothes and left the premises.

A Buffalo Wild Wings employee reportedly told Manuel that the incident was captured on video and gave him a chance to return the tablet; Manuel reportedly said the tablet was at his residence and he would bring it back in an hour, but he never returned with the tablet.

About four hours after the theft, the tablet was sold at the Eco-ATM machine at the Waldo Road Walmart (1800 NE 12th Avenue). The seller provided Manuel’s Florida ID card, signature, and thumbprint, attesting that he was the true and rightful owner of the tablet; he received $62 cash for the tablet. A photo of Manuel’s face was also reportedly taken during the transaction.

Post Miranda, Manuel reportedly admitted stealing the tablet and selling it at the Eco-ATM because he needed money.

Manuel has been charged with domestic battery, grand theft, and dealing in stolen property. He has 18 felony convictions (non-violent) and five misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). He has been incarcerated twice, once for six terms of 10 years and eight terms of 5 years, all served concurrently, and once for six terms of 12 years and two terms of 5 years, all served concurrently; all of the charges were out of Seminole County, and he was most recently released in October 2024. He has been in Alachua County for about seven months. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $2,000 on the domestic battery charge, and Judge George Wright set bail at $4,000 on the other two charges.

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.