Convicted felon arrested downtown with a ‘Ghost Gun’

Staff report

Updated on November 20 with criminal history information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Matthew Oneil Spence, 22, was arrested early this morning after officers received a tip that he had a firearm.

At about 1:11 a.m. on November 19, Gainesville Police Department officers approached Spence’s vehicle after receiving a “tip from a credible source” that he had a firearm and was involved in an argument in a heavily populated parking lot in the 200 block of NW 1st Avenue. As officers approached, Spence reportedly started walking away, but he was detained and patted down; while he was being patted down, Spence reportedly said he had a gun and also said he was a convicted felon.

The officer reported that the gun was a striker-fired Glock 19-style pistol with no serial number, commonly referred to as a “Ghost Gun.”

Spence has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has a juvenile conviction from 2020 and six adult felony convictions (non-violent) and was released from prison in January 2025 after serving a two-year sentence for six felonies related to burglary and grand theft. Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $15,000.

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.