By Staff Writer

ARCHER, Fla. – Authorities in Archer arrested Michael Louis Leopold and Michele Belinda Lewis, both 47, after a police K-9 team discovered Leopold hiding under a four-foot pile of debris. Leopold was wanted on an outstanding warrant.

The incident unfolded on January 12 at approximately 2:13 p.m. when deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) visited a residence in Archer. Their goal was to locate Leopold, who had failed to appear at a court hearing in Sarasota County related to a felony drug charge.

A neighbor informed an ASO Warrants Investigator that they had seen Leopold entering the house. Additionally, a resident told a deputy that only Leopold and Lewis were inside the premises. It was observed that Leopold and Lewis were living in a makeshift enclosed porch attached to the main house.

Deputies began by knocking on the front door but received no response. After securing a loose dog in the backyard, they proceeded to the back door, where they could hear dogs inside and a woman speaking. Despite loud commands urging anyone inside to come out, there was no response.

With no one emerging, multiple K-9 units arrived on the scene. Lewis reportedly refused to exit the house or identify herself, insisting that Leopold was not present. For approximately 30 minutes, deputies continued to call for those inside to come out. They eventually created an opening near a window air conditioning unit, where they saw Lewis. Initially, she resisted coming out, but eventually, she complied, was handcuffed, and identified herself. Despite her claims that Leopold was not home and that she was unaware of his whereabouts, the search continued.

The owners of the home provided consent for a search of the home, and deputies reportedly found a Ruger 10/22 rifle in Leopold’s bedroom; Leopold is a convicted felon who is not permitted to possess firearms.

Deputies noted that Leopold’s bedroom was “full of debris and belongings,” and about an hour later, a K-9 team alerted to a pile of “debris and belongings” that was about four feet tall.

A deputy began issuing loud commands to come out, and another deputy began removing items from the pile and eventually found Leopold lying on the floor under a blanket; Leopold was apprehended by a K-9 and allegedly started shouting and grabbing the K-9’s face, mouth, and neck until he was pulled away. Leopold was treated for a dog bite and transported to a local hospital.

Based on the size of the pile, Lewis was arrested because deputies reported that Leopold could not have placed all those items on top of himself without assistance.

Leopold was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, striking a law enforcement K-9, and resisting an officer without violence. He has one felony conviction (non-violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $60,000 on the new charges.

Lewis has been charged with resisting an officer without violence. She has no criminal convictions, and Judge Miller-Jones ordered her released on her own recognizance to the supervision of Court Services for mental health treatment.

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.