Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sam Eric Haywood, Jr., 36, was recently arrested on July 19 and now faces charges for an incident in April where he allegedly stole checks from a funeral home and cashed one of them.

A representative from Duncan Brothers Funeral Home informed a Gainesville Police Department officer that a business checkbook was stolen from her personal vehicle in April. She reported that a check cashing service called her to verify a check worth $5,515 made out to Haywood’s alleged accomplice, Jesse Lewis Gillans, 43. Fortunately, the check was recovered before any money was disbursed, and a formal complaint has been filed against Gillans.

However, a second check, made out to Haywood for $4,879, was cashed at Amscot on SW Archer Road.

A detective acquired surveillance footage and documentation from Amscot, which showed that the Florida ID used to cash the check was linked to Haywood. The image in the ID database resembled the individual in the surveillance footage, and the signature on the check appeared similar to that on Haywood’s ID. Since the check was identified as stolen, Amscot is also considered a victim because they suffered financial loss when they gave money to Haywood.

Charges of grand theft and uttering a forged instrument have been brought against Haywood. Arrested on July 19, he was already facing multiple shoplifting and theft charges, including stealing $375 worth of snow crab clusters from Publix.

With three prior non-violent felony convictions and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent), Haywood had previously entered a plea of nolo contendere in December 2024 for three petit theft cases and one grand theft case. Facing up to 20 years in state prison, Judge Denise Ferrero had placed him in a post-plea diversion program via Drug Court, with the condition that failure to comply would result in an 18-month prison sentence after adjudication of guilt (some charges were dropped in a plea deal).

On June 25, a court officer suggested Haywood’s removal from the Drug Court program due to three court absences and a legal violation on May 12, when he allegedly stole small appliances valued at $598 from Walmart.

Judge Adam Lee added $20,000 in bail to his existing bail amounts.

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.