Candidate for Soil and Water Conservation Board charged with carving gay slur on SUV

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Daniel Taylor Gordon, 41, has been charged with criminal mischief after allegedly keying the word “FAGG” on an SUV across the street from a home where he was previously charged with prowling on July 22 and taking a surveillance camera on July 31, the same night the vandalism was reported.

Gordon currently sits on the Alachua Soil and Water Conservation District Board and is running against Walt Boyer for the Group 3 seat on the board.

Gordon was previously charged with prowling around a home on July 22 and was arrested on August 5 in that case.

The victims in the July 22 incident reported that surveillance cameras at their home near the intersection of NW 8th Avenue and NW 18th Street showed a man arriving on a bicycle just after midnight. The camera showed the man parking his bicycle in the carport and turning off the lights on the bicycle, then looking at the surveillance camera, waving at the camera, and giving it a thumbs-up before walking out of its view.

Another surveillance camera picked up the man entering the screened pool enclosure behind the house and opening a door that led into a sauna. He walked around for a while longer before returning to the sauna and remaining in it for about 20 seconds before returning to the carport. He then tampered with the surveillance camera, and it stopped recording.

Following that incident, a resident of the home discovered that the camera had been removed from its mount, and the camera was reinstalled.

At about 2:20 a.m. on July 31, a man looking similar to the first man arrived on a bicycle, turning off the bicycle’s light as he dropped his bicycle on the front lawn. The man appeared to be aware of the camera and hid his face with a cloth as he walked up the driveway. He walked directly to the camera and pulled it down, but it caught a brief shot of his face before it was removed and stolen.

The next day, the victims posted the photos of the prowler on the “Gainesville Word of Mouth” Facebook page; Gordon was tagged by one commenter, and he responded, saying he was the man in the first photo but not the second one. He said he had to pee, so the victim responded with a picture of him standing at the open sauna door, asking sarcastically if he was looking for the bathroom. Gordon replied that there was a pandemic going on, and he was looking for a hose to wash his hands. The Gainesville Police Department officer who wrote the report noted that there was a swimming pool right beside the man, where he could have washed his hands, and also that hoses are typically attached to the exteriors of homes, not inside doors.

The officer noted that records show that Gordon appears to have lived at the victims’ home about 20 years ago.

The arrest report for the damage to the SUV ties the incident to the July 31 burglary in which Gordon was allegedly seen approaching the surveillance camera and then taking it.

Gordon is now charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, a third-degree felony, along with theft and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors. He posted $47,500 bond after the August 5 arrest.

Gordon sent the following statement to Alachua Chronicle: “I am absolutely shocked at the allegation. I only first became aware of it when I was contacted by a reporter. I had no part in what is being alleged of me and have no idea why I am being accused. Anyone who knows me knows my character and that I abhor bigotry in all forms. My history of progressive ideals speaks for itself. I am saddened to see my public reputation challenged in such a horrible way, yet I am confident these allegations will not be proven. One cannot prove something which did not happen.”

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. 

  • Given the current political representatives, he fits the mold to be an ideal candidate for any position…especially one within Alachua County/Gainesville.

  • Well, he had my vote until he started talking about his “progressive ideals” and “abhorring bigotry”.

  • This guy sexually assaulted someone I know years ago after a party. Allegedly. He’s a real piece of work pretending to be “Captain Planet”. Watch out for this guy, Gainesville. A real wolf in sheep’s clothing. I wouldn’t doubt the stories I’ve heard.

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