GPD’s Gun Violence Initiative arrests two suspects with guns
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jamorie Keyon Clark, 20, and Marvin Eugene Cotton, Jr., 30, were arrested overnight and charged with gun and drug crimes after members of Gainesville Police Department’s (GPD) Gun Violence Initiative responded to information about people displaying guns at Sweetwater Square Apartments.
GPD received information that several people were displaying firearms last night outside Building L at Sweetwater Square Apartments (3101 NE 15th Street) and increased patrols in the area. At about 8:40 p.m., officers saw Clark, who matched the description provided by the source of the information, standing on the east side of Building L; Clark reportedly looked at officers approaching from the south, then turned and saw more officers approaching from the east, then dropped a bag and ran through the complex in a southeast direction.
Clark was apprehended after a brief foot chase. A search of the bag reportedly produced a custom-made firearm with an extended magazine and about 10 grams of marijuana. A scale and iPhone were reportedly found on the ground near the bag. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced about 2.4 grams of marijuana in Clark’s pocket.
At about the same time, officers made contact with Cotton, who matched the description of the second person described by the source. Cotton reportedly ran into an apartment and was taken into custody; an officer reported that Cotton had placed a bag on the kitchen counter and that the grip of a handgun could be seen sticking out of the bag.
A search incident to Cotton’s arrest reportedly produced two prescription marijuana containers, but the report notes that Cotton does not have a medical marijuana card.
Clark has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest without violence. He has a juvenile criminal history and is currently awaiting sentencing on a felony charge in Putnam County. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $170,000.
Cotton has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He has juvenile criminal convictions, four felony convictions in Georgia (one violent), one Florida felony conviction (non-violent), and three Florida misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). He has been in Alachua County for about a month. Judge Miller-Jones set bail at $115,000.
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.Â
Clark has been convicted of a felony in FL. Why wasn’t he charged with possession by a convicted felon? Custom made gun? Stolen? Cotton is a career criminal. Felon in possession? If this “Task Force” is to be respected by both the citizens and criminals, they, the SA and the judges better enforce the laws to the fullest. Otherwise it is just more smoke and mirrors from the Democrats.
Calm down Barney Fife. We don’t know what “Cotton has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon..” entails.
Career criminals at 20 years old. Really sad that this is what our school systems produce.
If the parents don’t care why should the school?
I agree that the school system has been failure in its role to teach children the basics, however it is not their responsibility to raise them with the proper morals and values. That is the job of the parents. Government is to blame for the degradation of the family unit with their current agenda.
Super, the schools are not responsible for the non-academic progress of our children, or if they were, you’d hate the authority they would have.
See the innovative program now at SFCC. Where these throw away tax credit kids can now learn a trade.
Now there’s something we can agree on.
Just stop your next thug drive-by.
I’m glad snitches are back. Sweetwater Square is another taxpayer-funded crime breeding ranch. So it’s important we encourage more snitchin.
Task force or initiative regardless, the call for service would have been answered anyway.
The mis-guided leaders at city hall are celebrating this monumental arrest!
It validates all their seminars, gun retreats. Stay tuned folks…more to follow.
I wonder if I had it all wrong? What if GPD officers are handling out cash money to those folks who spot other folks carrying hand guns?
One can only collect cash money if an arrest is made.
That’s a good idea. In fact, that’s a great idea.
All the drug money that Alachua Chronicles reports to be seized in drug related arrest, could go back into the community.
Imagine the arrest ASO & GPD officers could make.
When a crackhead buys his or her dope from a street level dealer, who carries a gun, and then when they run out and start jonesing for more, they call up GPD, give a description, and boom.
There is either a shootout, or there are arrest made.
Easy peasy.
Good police work. Dangerous police work. Important community engagement to get the initial tip.
Focus on criminals doing crimes while in possession of guns.
That is gun control.
More mugshots of the usual suspects. I wonder why the liberal newspapers like the Gville Sun & Tampa Bay Times eliminated mugshots from their papers a few years ago? I suspect they were afraid the readers might draw logical conclusions after they viewed the cultural makeup of the majority of the perpetrators.
Just say you’re racist or trying to make this about race. Just worry about your counterparts.
Realist is more like it. The truth will set you free! Embrace it.
I would imagine that if these guys stiff people in their illicit drug dealings, that would be considered “employing the publics help”.