Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The tranquility of a local neighborhood was disrupted last night when Christopher Alexander Brown, aged 44, found himself in police custody under serious allegations. Brown is accused of unlawfully entering a residence, causing damage through smoking, and being in possession of burglary tools and illegal drugs.

Authorities responded to the incident around 6:50 p.m. on October 15, following a call from a homeowner who discovered an intruder on their property. Upon arrival, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy encountered Brown inside the home. Brown reportedly admitted to smoking inside the residence and mentioned that his lawnmower was left in the shed at the back. Crucially, he acknowledged not knowing the homeowner and lacking any permission to be there.

In a bag belonging to Brown, deputies reportedly found items that included his birth certificate and a set of lock-picking tools. Additionally, a substance found in his possession tested positive for methamphetamine. Scattered cigarette butts, purportedly left by Brown, littered the floor near his belongings.

Interestingly, Brown’s own residence is just a few doors down from the house he allegedly broke into. The homeowner reported that the cigarette butts were a new and unwelcome addition to the property, and estimated the damage from smoke at approximately $600. Furthermore, the window blinds sustained damage estimated at $100.

The victim said the cigarette butts had not previously been there, and the damage to the home from the cigarette smoke was estimated at about $600, along with damage to window blinds that was estimated at $100.

Brown was reportedly wearing a lanyard around his neck with a key to a padlock that secured the door of the shed behind the home. The victim said the padlock was different from the one she had used on the shed, and a lawn mower found inside the shed was not hers.

Post Miranda, Brown reportedly said the mower was not his, which contradicted his earlier statement that he had left his mower in the shed. He said multiple times that he had not broken into the home, and he said he had picked up the baggie of drugs off the ground and did not know what was in it.

Brown has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance, and property damage. He has 14 felony convictions (non-violent) and nine misdemeanor convictions (non-violent) and has served four state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2019. Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail on the burglary charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing. Judge Miller-Jones set bail at $55,000 on the other 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.