Five arrested in separate incidents at GRACE Marketplace

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Five people were arrested in separate incidents at GRACE Marketplace in less than 10 hours, from 4:45 p.m. yesterday to 1:10 a.m. this morning.

Di’Amonta Antwain Robinson, 31, was arrested at about 4:45 p.m. and charged with trespass after warning and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon after a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer approached a car with a temporary tag that was parked near the wood line on the northeast side of the GRACE Marketplace property, which the officer called a “known high violence and drug activity area.”

Robinson had previously been trespassed from GRACE, so he was detained, and a single .22 caliber bullet was reportedly found in his pocket in a search incident to arrest. As a convicted felon, Robinson may not legally possess ammunition.

Post Miranda, Robinson reportedly said he didn’t know he had the bullet in his pocket. He said he had been raking and picking up trash at GRACE, had put the trash in his pocket, and then had thrown the trash away; he said he must have picked up the bullet with the trash and then not noticed it was still in his pocket after he threw the trash away.

Robinson was last arrested in October 2022 and charged with sexual battery and drug possession, but the charges were dropped. A few days later, he was convicted of trespassing after a warning at GRACE and sentenced to 30 hours of community service in lieu of a fine and two days in the County jail, with credit for two days time served. He has until March 28 to complete the community service hours.

Nicholas Andrew Alconada, 37, was arrested at about 6 p.m. for trespassing by a second GPD officer. The officer responded to a call from staff and reported that he saw Alconada eating dinner behind a dormitory and detained him. Alconada was trespassed from GRACE in May 2022.

Alconada was arrested seven times for trespassing in 2022, and all of the charges were dropped. Charges of aggravated assault, burglary, petit theft, and battery by a person in a detention facility were also dropped.

Rickie Jerome West, 51, was arrested at about 7:15 p.m. and charged with grand theft of a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance after a third GPD officer saw him riding a scooter at GRACE Marketplace. The officer checked the tag and found that the scooter had been reported stolen on January 23. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced 0.4 grams of MDPV, which West spontaneously said was “molly.”

Post Miranda, West reportedly said that he got the scooter from “Tommy” so he could use the restroom. West is a designated Career Offender who has nine felony convictions and has served seven state prison sentences. He was convicted of drug possession in September 2019 and sentenced to 90 days in the Alachua County Jail.

Richard Monroe Griffin, 55, was arrested at about 11:30 p.m. and charged with trespass after warning. A GPD officer responded to a call from GRACE staff about Griffin, who had been trespassed from GRACE in July 2022 but was inside the Cold Shelter.

Griffin has eight felony convictions and has served five state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2020.

Joseph Cornelius Young, 42, was arrested at about 1:10 a.m. this morning and charged with trespass after warning and resisting arrest following a call from GRACE staff. A GRACE employee told a GPD officer that Young had been asked to leave multiple times, and they requested that the officer issue a trespass warning. The officer reported that after he issued the trespass warning, Young tried to walk farther into the property and continued to walk farther into the property after multiple warnings that he would be arrested if he did not leave.

The officer finally detained Young, who reportedly tensed up, leading to a call for backup. Young reportedly continued to resist being handcuffed after the backup arrived, but he was eventually detained.

Young has two felony convictions and is currently on probation. He was last arrested in June 2022, entered a plea of nolo contendere to domestic battery, and was sentenced to 168 days in jail with credit for 118 days served and one year of probation in October 2022.

Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.