20-year-old on pre-trial release arrested for domestic battery, robbery, criminal mischief,

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lucien Byron, Jr., 20, was arrested yesterday evening after allegedly hitting a woman in the face, threatening her with a gun that later turned out to be an Airsoft gun, and preventing her from calling 911.

The victim, who knew Byron, said he was at her house and kept asking her for money and slapped her when she refused. She said she grabbed her phone to call the police, but Byron took her phone from her. He also allegedly took some cards from her wallet.

The victim told a Gainesville Police Department officer that Byron took a handgun out of his backpack and “racked the slide,” then put it in his waistband while they were arguing. When she continued to refuse to give him money, he reportedly hit her several times in the face and head, then pulled the handgun out of his waistband and continued to demand money. While the victim yelled for her mother, who was outside, to call the police, Byron reportedly put the handgun back in his waistband.

The victim’s mother said she told Byron to leave, but he continued to punch the victim. She said Byron grabbed his backpack and pulled the handgun out of his waistband, then walked toward the door as if he were leaving and hit the wall with the handgun, leaving a hole of about five inches in the wall. She said he took the victim’s second cell phone, then threatened to slap the victim’s mother in the face before leaving on foot.

Officers said they found one 9mm round and one spent casing in the house. Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted by pinging Byron’s ankle monitor, which gave them an address. Byron eventually surrendered at that address, but while officers were surrounding the house, Byron reportedly threw a grocery bag out the back door, and officers later discovered his ankle monitor, which had been cut off, in the bag.

After obtaining a search warrant for Byron’s residence, officers found a backpack with the two stolen cell phones and three of the victim’s credit/debit cards, along with an Airsoft handgun and a “large amount of narcotics.”

Byron has been charged with robbery by sudden snatching, battery, criminal mischief over $200, obstructing justice by hindering communication with law enforcement, and tampering with an electronic monitor. Byron has eight felony convictions and is on pre-trial release for two pending felony convictions, one for aggravated battery and one for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was released from state prison last September. Byron is being held on $285,000 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.