Eight arrested after deputy investigates report of squatting at vacant commercial building

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Eight people were arrested yesterday after a report that there were people inside a vacant commercial building off Tower Road.

At about 11:50 a.m. yesterday, the owner of the building located at 602 W. 75th Street, the former location of the Big Daddy Guns retail store, reported that there was a tent behind the building and people inside.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded and saw a tarp covering a structure behind the building. As he was observing from behind the building, a man rode by on a bicycle and yelled a warning to the people under the tarp. The deputy reported that after the warning, the door to the business opened and closed several times, although he could not see whether people went in or out. He then saw several people jump the fence and chased them.

After the deputy ran around the corner of the building, he reportedly saw that four people had run out of the back door of the business, and he called out that he would use his Taser if they did not stop.

Brandy Samantha Lawless, 46, stopped running and was detained. She has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, property damage over $1,000, and resisting an officer. Post Miranda, she reportedly said she had been living behind the building and did not know who had broken into the building. She has four felony convictions (one violent).

Julie Alda Alvstad, 46, slowed down and was detained. She has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, property damage over $1,000, and resisting an officer. Post Miranda, she reportedly said she had been sleeping in a recliner behind the building and did not know who had broken into the building; she said she had not been there long. She has one felony conviction and three misdemeanor convictions (none violent).

The deputy saw a man running and ordered him to stop; when the man stopped and turned, the deputy detained him. That man reportedly identified himself as Todiah Hampton multiple times, but he was later identified as William Fountain Hampton, 42. Hampton has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, property damage over $1,000, resisting an officer, and providing false identification to an officer. He has three felony convictions and 17 misdemeanor convictions; he has served two state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2017.

A fourth man kept running and was chased by another deputy but not caught.

While deputies were speaking to the three subjects who had been detained, another man came out of the building and was immediately detained; he was later identified as Charles Alton Smith, 38. He has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and property damage over $1,000. Post Miranda, he declined to speak. He has five felony convictions and seven misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2014.

Deputies gave verbal commands from the front door, and two more people came out, James Vhay and Tiffany Pinion.

Tiffany Ann Pinion, 34, has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and property damage over $1,000. Post Miranda, Pinion declined to speak. She has three misdemeanor convictions, none violent.

James Henry Vhay, 44, has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and property damage over $1,000. Post Miranda, he reportedly said he is dating Pinion and they had been staying at the business for two days; he said they had come from their residence in Micanopy because Pinion’s husband had passed away. He said he did not know who had broken into the business. He has one felony conviction (one violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (two violent).

Deputies continued giving verbal commands for anyone in the building to come out. A K-9 unit arrived to clear the building and reportedly found Timmy Owens hiding under a blanket. Owens was bitten by the K-9; the report stated that he was bitten because “the handler nor other Deputies knew he was beneath the blanket due to his small stature.”

While receiving medical treatment for the bite, Owens reportedly said Alvstad had invited him to “rest” the previous day; he first said he had walked in with Alvstad, then changed his story and said friends had to carry him inside. He said he didn’t notice the damage inside the building and that Alvstad had laid him in a hallway, covered him with a blanket, and given him “molly.” He said he didn’t wake up until the K-9 found him.

Owens has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, property damage over $1,000, and resisting an officer. Owens has four local misdemeanor convictions (none violent).

After the building was cleared, deputies noted that entry had been made into the back door of the building, and then a wall was broken through to enter the main area of the building. The total estimated damage was estimated at $1,000. Deputies found additional damage throughout the building, including burn marks from a fire that had been set at some point.

While deputies conducted their investigation, another man returned to the building. Donald Tyler Scoates, 31, had a warrant for failure to pay child support and was arrested. Deputies asked him about the living situation at the business, and he reportedly said he had been living behind the building for months. He said he was the first to erect a tent behind the building, and the others followed. He said he didn’t know who had broken into the building.

Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.