Hawthorne man on probation arrested after being found lying in the road with a short-barreled rifle on his chest
Staff report
HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Jonathan James Russel Sweat, 34, was arrested early yesterday morning after deputies responded to a call about a man lying in the road with a short-barreled rifle on his chest.
At about 6:30 a.m. on April 6, Alachua County Fire Rescue and Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 18100 block of SW 243rd Street, where they found Sweat lying on his back in the road with a short-barreled rifle on his chest. Deputies took the firearm from Sweat so EMS could provide aid.
Deputies reported that the rifle had a barrel length of about three inches (the legal minimum is 16 inches), and the serial number had been removed. The rifle was loaded with nine 9mm rounds.
A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small glass pipe that is typically used for smoking illegal narcotics.
Sweat was transported to an emergency room and admitted to the hospital.
He has been charged with possession of a short-barreled rifle, 10 counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, removing the serial number on a firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also booked on warrants for driving without a valid license and violating probation.
Sweat has six felony convictions (none violent) and nine misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2013. He is on probation for driving without a valid license, and he was sentenced to a fine on charges of battery and possession of drug paraphernalia in a 2024 case but has not paid any of the fine.
The warrant for violating probation specified that Sweat be held without bond, and the other set bail at $10,000. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $177,000 on the new charges.
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.
Trying to make some sense of it all
But I can see it makes no sense at all
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor? (with a SBR on my chest)
′Cause I don’t think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am stuck in the middle with you
Man, this sounds like a Springs County event.
Their bad influence is apparently already spreading. Sad.
This happened in Alachua county…springs county will be clean and have no crime because it will have a great jail and zero tolerance for crime.
I actually know this young man and he really needs help with counseling he’s needed it for a while it’s just him and his mother his mother and my mother were very close friends I am praying for him to get psychological help that he needs.
God bless his family
I do to leave the door alone
He needs to be incarcerated:..each time he breaks the law, he should stay in prison for a longer stint.
What kind of psychological help? a lobotomy? He’s a useless bum @ 34.
Poor genetics.
Probably like father, like son.
the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Another good argument for Abortion On Demand.
Obviously your “incarceration” argument makes these fellas worse.
A “lobotomy?” LOL Shaquonda, you see a lobotomy as “psychological help, cracked me up!
There in no point in sawing off a 9mm. You wouldn’t be able to hit the broadside of a barn with it. Sawing off a shotgun makes a little more sense, but only if you’re an outlaw and asking to go to jail.
Remember the old commercial with the frying egg and saying “this is your brain on drugs” May be time to relaunch the oldies.
9mm is a pistol round. Possessing a firearm is RIGHT. The constitution does NOT distinguish between a convicted felon and anyone else.