Homeless career offender arrested for breaking window of store, stealing over $1,000 of merchandise

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Donald Mervin Small, 59, was arrested yesterday for allegedly breaking the window of a store, stealing over $1,000 in merchandise, and other charges including marijuana possession and trespassing.

On the morning of September 21, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a report of a burglary at Batesy Gallery (718 N. Main Street) and reported that there was significant damage to the front glass window, including a large hole and additional cracking to the left side panel; the damage was estimated at $3,950. Batesy Gallery is owned by former UF football player James Bates and sells his artwork, along with apparel featuring his artwork.

Multiple items were also missing from the store, including 20 hats valued at $40 each, eight shirts valued at $30 each, and one special edition shirt valued at $50, for a total loss of $1,090. The store was reportedly locked and secured at 6 p.m. on September 20.

Later on September 21, Bates reportedly saw a black male wearing one of the hats sold at Batesy Gallery, and an officer spoke with Small, who said his name was “Ronald Young.” Small reportedly said he found the hats on North Main Street; he was carrying a bag containing seven or eight hats that resembled Batesy Gallery merchandise, but he denied consent for the officer to search his bag.

On September 22, officers reviewed surveillance video from Batesy Gallery, which showed a black male walking through the adjacent parking lot in the early morning hours of September 21, approaching the business; the officer noted that the man’s build was consistent with Small.

A GPD detective later told the officer that he was familiar with the black male who had been seen wearing one of the hats, and his name was not “Ronald Young”; the officer filed a sworn complaint, charging Small with burglary with property damage over $1,000, grand theft, and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.

Small was also wanted for failing to appear at a hearing in June regarding a Notice to Appear for sleeping in the stairwell of the Downtown Parking Garage in May, and on September 23, the detective saw Small downtown and notified a uniformed patrol officer that he had an active warrant.

The officer located Small riding a bicycle in the 100 block of West University Avenue, and when he and another officer told Small to stop, Small allegedly fled on his bike; after more units arrived to assist in locating Small, he was reportedly detained in the 200 block of SW 2nd Avenue when his bike sustained a flat tire.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small amount of marijuana and a “crack pipe.”

In addition to the charges above, Small has been charged with resisting an officer without violence, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is a designated career offender whose address is listed as the former St. Francis House; he has 24 felony convictions (three violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (one violent) and has served eight state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2020. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $90,000.

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.