Archer man arrested for allegedly burglarizing two churches, stealing a van, and breaking windows

Staff report

ARCHER, Fla. – Jamiere Lamar Baker, 19, was arrested early this morning for allegedly stealing a van from Archer First Baptist and breaking two windows at Archer First United Methodist Church.

At about 10:45 p.m. on June 19, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the First United Methodist Church (17121 SW 137th Lane), where a witness said she heard glass breaking, so she told a second witness, who went outside and saw a tall black male leaving the church.

The deputy noted that two windows — one regular glass window and one stained glass window — were broken, and blood was found near the windows.

Deputies contacted Baker north of the church, and he reportedly consented to a search of his person; the search reportedly produced car keys with a label that said, “First Baptist 2017 VAN,” along with a small box of firecrackers and less than 20 grams of marijuana.

A deputy noted that Baker had a fresh laceration on his finger and two smaller lacerations on the backs of his legs.

Post Miranda, Baker reportedly admitted to entering the Baptist church on June 9, where he found the keys and drove the van; he also admitted to entering the Baptist church again on June 19 through a window. He said he took the firecrackers from the church.

The pastor of the Baptist church reportedly provided a case report showing that he had reported the van and its keys stolen. He also said he’d had a box of firecrackers in his office. The pastor reported that the church’s decals had been removed from the van.

The pastor of the United Methodist church was also contacted, and both pastors wanted to press charges.

Baker has been charged with two counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure, property damage to a church, grand theft of a motor vehicle, misdemeanor property damage, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He has a juvenile conviction from 2022. Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $19,500.

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.