From Our Staff
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities apprehended Taylor Rose Marie Brown, 28, and John Lee Stephens Jr., 38, following allegations of unauthorized entry and theft from an Airbnb. Known in court records as Taylor Rose Marie, Brown faces charges in Alachua County under this name.
On May 27, officers from the Gainesville Police Department responded to a report from the 1300 block of NE 7th Street. A witness reported seeing a man and woman exiting the Airbnb. Notably, the woman was clad only in a towel and attempted to hand the observer a spray bottle retrieved from the trash. The unusual behavior and absence of a vehicle prompted the witness to alert authorities.
Upon arrival, the officer discovered Stephens inside the property. He claimed he was there visiting his wife, who had briefly left to shop at Publix and would return shortly. However, Stephens could not produce any proof of authorization to stay at the Airbnb.
The officer noted signs of forced entry via a dog door at the back of the house, with men’s clothing scattered and drying outside. Inside, debit and credit cards belonging to Stephens were found in a bedroom. Additional observations included missing lightbulbs and evidence of meals being prepared, indicating the pair had settled in comfortably. Several lightbulbs were found packed in a backpack on the premises.
During the investigation, a cleaner employed by the Airbnb’s owner arrived and pointed out damage to previously secured closet doors, which had been forced open. Cleaning supplies also appeared to be missing. The estimated cost to repair the damaged doors, locks, and dog door was approximately $250.
The officer also noted that there was a Publix electric shopping cart in the back yard, and the manager of the Main Street Publix said the scooter was valued at about $1,200.
The owner of the Airbnb reportedly provided doorbell camera videos that showed both Brown and Stephens entering the home.
About an hour later, the same officer found Brown in the 500 block of NE 16th Avenue; a search incident to arrest reportedly produced a glass pipe consistent with devices used to smoke narcotics.
Post Miranda, Brown reportedly said she lived at the Airbnb, had a key, and was given permission by “you” to stay there; she said she had been there since Sunday, and she invited Stephens inside to “clean himself” on Monday. She said they had sexual intercourse, and when they were done, she asked Stephens to leave, but he refused; she said she asked him to wash a pair of her pants, but she did not give Stephens permission to do his own laundry. She said she asked Stephens again to leave, and when he refused, she left.
When asked who had broken the dog door, Brown initially said it broke when she slammed a door, but she changed her story and said Stephens probably did it, but she didn’t know for sure. She reportedly said she broke the locks to the two closets, and she found a spray bottle in one of the closets and tried to trade it with the witness for a vase she saw on his property. She said she had cooked meals in the Airbnb and said the lightbulbs were hers. She denied knowing anything about the Publix scooter and said she used the glass pipe to smoke some “ice.”
Brown, whose listed address is in Massachusetts, has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She has three felony convictions (non-violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); she was arrested in January 2026 for refusing to leave a psychiatric hospital after she was discharged, and she was sentenced in February to 26 days in jail with credit for 26 days served. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $32,000.
Stephens has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and grand theft. He has two felony convictions (including one sexual offense) and four misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he is a registered sexual offender and has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2022. He was arrested for false imprisonment and battery in 2023, but the charges were later dropped. Judge Rawls ordered him held without bail on the new charges, 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.
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
