Central Florida man arrested, two others charged in credit card thefts from Shands academic buildings

Tashawn Canegata

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tashawn Shamal Canegata, 28, of Altamonte Springs, has been arrested and charged for a series of credit card thefts in Shands academic buildings in the fall of 2022; two others have been charged but have not yet been arrested.

Daniel Rashaud Sanchious, 27, and Yoshi Keori Williams, 30, both of Orlando, are facing sworn complaints in the case.

Sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on October 5, 2022, Canegata and Williams allegedly entered an office on the fourth floor of the Shands Medical Sciences building and took a wallet from a purse under the victim’s desk. The pair allegedly went to Walmart and charged $5,605.40 in purchases to the victim’s cards.

Sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 2:48 p.m. on October 5, 2022, Canegata and Williams allegedly entered an office on the sixth floor of the Shands Medical Sciences building and took a wallet from a purse under the victim’s desk. The two suspects allegedly went to Target and charged $1,149.09 in purchases to the victim’s cards.

Sometime between 8 a.m. and 2:34 p.m. on October 12, 2022, Canegata and Williams allegedly entered an office on the fourth floor of the Shands Medical Sciences building and took a credit card holder that had been placed inside a bag in the bottom drawer of the victim’s desk. The pair allegedly went to Sam’s Club and charged $2,128.84 in purchases to the victim’s cards; they then allegedly tried to make a purchase at Bath & Body Works but were unsuccessful.

At about noon on November 16, 2022, the three suspects allegedly entered an office on the fourth floor of the Shands Medical Sciences building and took a wallet that was in a briefcase under the victim’s desk. The suspects then allegedly went to Sam’s Club and charged $8,179.40 in purchases to the victim’s cards.

Between 1:30 p.m. and 1:44 p.m. on November 16, 2022, Canegata and Sanchious allegedly entered a lab on the fourth floor of the Shands Academic Research Building and took a wallet from the victim’s desk. The victim reportedly saw the pair in the area of his lab and confronted them separately because he did not recognize them; both suspects quickly left the building and got into a car that was allegedly driven by Williams. The victim deactivated his cards before they could be used.

On October 2, 2023, after reviewing surveillance video from the various retail stores, formal charges were filed against the three suspects:

  • Canegata: Racketeering, two counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information over $5,000, unlawful possession of personal identification information for five or more people, four counts of felony fraudulent use of a credit card, and burglary of an unoccupied structure.
  • Sanchious: Racketeering, one count of fraudulent use of personal identification information over $5,000, unlawful possession of personal identification information for five or more people, one count of felony fraudulent use of a credit card, and burglary of an unoccupied structure.
  • Williams: Racketeering, two counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information over $5,000, unlawful possession of personal identification information for five or more people, four counts of felony fraudulent use of a credit card, and burglary of an unoccupied structure.

A warrant for Canegata’s arrest was issued on October 4, and Canegata was arrested on November 1. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $330,000, the same amount set in the warrant signed by Judge David Kreider.

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. 

  • There is no doubt that these young black men did not look like they belonged in this building- at all. Many people I’m sure saw them and thought this, yet probably no one spoke up in fear of being a labeled a ‘racist.’ People, we need to get past this. Young black males are in prison exponentially more than any other race not because we are a racist nation but because they are simply out of control. We need to start calling these kinds of things out- and by all means if you see a young black kids covered in tattoos waling around your medical office, ask them what they are doing there. Who cares one iota if you get labeled a big, bad ‘racist.’

    • To the leftist, nothing is more offensive than being an alleged racist. They’d sooner see their own daughters victimized than attempt to comprehend reality.

    • Literally came to say this, though I was pretty sure I’d get censored. Now I don’t need to. Thanks!

    • Seriously? How about young white men covered with tattoos? How about young Asian men covered with tattoos? What about the employees who have tattoos? This is the worst kind of profiling. What makes it racist is that rather than confining it to suspicious characters in general, you only call out young black men.

      • I thought this was a report of a black Male stealing. Where it talk about white and Asian people with tattoos?

    • Not to mention that it is small-minded in that it pigeonholes people with tattoos.

    • First of all let’s start by saying this , just as many BLACK boys are in jail. You have plenty of white people in jail. And I’d we are really pushing the envelope white people are going into school, churches and grocery stores and killing innocent people. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover or label a whole race for what one person has done. I have plenty of tattoos, and I’m Sure I’m way more qualified and educated to sit in all the same rooms as my white colleagues. This is most definitely an ignorant person behind a computer typing and we wonder why racism still exists to this day🤦🏽‍♂️

  • WTF were they doing up here in the first place? Did they figure out a college campus is the last place anyone would dare say they looked *suspicious* roaming around those offices? Or, did they have an inside connection there?

    • This issue with the university has gone on for years. People go in and out office buildings and labs because no one is willing or is scared to challenge them because they dont want to be labeled a racist. Most of the labs are full of foreign exchange students who are too naive to know, along with being totally engrossed in their research.

  • Yep….sounds familiar….stealing from those who work for a living. Must be another example of our number one threat to our nation….that supremacy thing Biden keeps talking about.

    • Not to mention the 100’s of complaints about Trump for stiffing the contractors on his projects. Talk about theft.

      • Jazz why did you change your name? How much rent is Trump paying for that empty studio inside your noggin these days?

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