Gainesville man arrested on drug and money laundering charges

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Mazavious Antwan Ross, 34, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for money laundering and drug distribution.

In August 2024, a Gainesville Police Department officer, working as part of the Gainesville Alachua County Drug Task Force, set up a controlled purchase of a trafficking amount of “molly” using a confidential informant.

The confidential informant reportedly met Ross in the 1500 block of NE 8th Avenue, paid him $400, and received about 60 grams of “molly” (substituted cathinone).

Before the August transaction, Ross reportedly told the confidential informant that he would be providing more of the substance than the confidential informant had requested, and in September 2024, the confidential informant met with Ross again to pay him the rest of the money.

In October 2025, a sworn complaint was filed, charging Ross with trafficking in “molly,” sale of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a daycare, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

A warrant for Ross’s arrest was issued on October 31, and he was arrested yesterday. He has five felony convictions (non-violent) and five misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2017. Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $1.1 million, the same amount set by Judge James Colaw in the arrest warrant.

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.