By Staff
NEWBERRY, Fla. – A 23-year-old man, Kobe Deon Delima, faces charges of grand theft of a firearm after authorities linked a pistol seized during his arrest in March to one reported stolen. The connection was made by a diligent detective who discovered the match.
Delima’s initial arrest took place on March 13 in Newberry, where he was charged with multiple offenses including possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, tampering with evidence, possession of a small amount of marijuana, resisting arrest without violence, and petit theft.
On April 7, a detective from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office took on a case involving a local resident reporting his pistol stolen from his pickup truck. The owner last recalled seeing his tan Sig Sauer P365 9mm pistol about three to four weeks before noticing its absence on April 6.
Upon examining the serial numbers, the detective found a discrepancy due to a typographical error—the original report omitted a zero in the serial number. However, through meticulous comparison of property reports and photographs, he verified that the firearm matched the one stolen from the victim. The victim also accurately identified the ammunition loaded in the pistol.
The victim also reportedly correctly described the ammunition that was found in the pistol.
Post Miranda, Delima reportedly said he never had the gun, it cannot be proven that he ever had the gun, and if his DNA is found on the gun, “it is what it is.” He then said he did not want to answer any more questions.
Delima has been charged with grand theft of a firearm. He has three felony convictions (one violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (one violent), and Judge Joy Danne added $15,000 bail to his existing $154,000 bail.
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.
