Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Fernando Devonn Bradford, 54, was arrested after authorities said he entered his former girlfriend’s apartment through a window.
Around 10:50 p.m. on September 25, the woman’s sister was alone inside the Gainesville apartment when she heard sounds coming from a bedroom. Fearing that someone had entered the home, she fled to a neighboring apartment and asked residents to call 911. She told officers she did not hear anyone knock on the front door or identify themselves before entering.
According to the responding Gainesville Police Department officer, a chair had been placed beneath an open front window. A light bulb removed from the fixture above the apartment’s front door was also discovered near the chair.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Bradford reportedly told police he went back to the apartment while his former girlfriend was at work to collect belongings he had left behind after moving out in March. He allegedly acknowledged removing the porch light bulb to avoid being seen and positioning the chair so he could climb through the window.
Investigators also found a bag near the apartment’s front door containing some of Bradford’s clothing. Bradford reportedly said the bag was not his, and police noted that it also held beers he said did not belong to him.
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Bradford reportedly admitted drinking before arriving at the apartment. The officer said Bradford smelled of alcohol, spoke with slurred speech and had foam around the corners of his mouth.
Bradford, classified as a designated violent felony offender of special concern, faces two counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling. His record includes four felony convictions—two involving violence—and four nonviolent misdemeanor convictions. He has served three state prison terms, most recently being released in 1997. Bradford was also on probation stemming from a 2024 arrest for allegedly battering a person older than 65.
Judge George Wright ordered Bradford held without bail while the State Attorney’s Office seeks to keep him jailed through trial. If that request is rejected, the judge will determine bail at the hearing.
Arrest stories are based on information provided by law enforcement agencies. The charges described in these reports come from arrest documents and/or court records and represent allegations only. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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