Alachua County Resident Convicted of Robbery and Kidnapping in a two day trial

Press release from State Attorney Brian Kramer, 8th Judicial Circuit

An Alachua County jury found Kenneth Brown, age 42, guilty of multiple serious violent felonies for his involvement in the February 2019 armed robbery of the Bojangles restaurant located on Archer Road in Gainesville.

The trial of Brown occurred over two days in the Alachua County Criminal Courthouse. Assistant State Attorneys Brian Rogers and Sean Brewer prosecuted Brown. The Gainesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Brown was convicted on all charges. The Honorable Judge David P. Kreider presided over the trial. Kenneth Brown will be sentenced February 18th, 2021.

The Gainesville Police Department conducted a five-month investigation into a robbery that was reported at Bojangles restaurant located off Archer Road, February 2019. As a result of the investigation, Brown was charged with robbery with a firearm and three counts of kidnapping, along with two other co-defendants, Arkenda Branton and Christopher Wiggins.

Arkenda Branton was an employee of the business at the time of the incident. Branton was previously sentenced to 20 months in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by five years felony probation on charges related to the investigation. Wiggins is awaiting trial.

A criminal complaint from a law enforcement agency is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has allegedly committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.