Homeless man arrested for fleeing from officers on bike taken from sorority house
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Stephon Marquis Gould, 29, was arrested late last night after allegedly fleeing from an officer on a bike stolen from a sorority house; he was just released from prison on September 22.
At about 10:44 p.m. on October 11, University of Florida Police Department officers responded to the Gamma Phi Beta house, where a caller said a black male was seen breaking a lock on a bike and taking it from the bike rack.
Officers approached Gould and told him to stop, but he allegedly fled north on W. Panhellenic Drive on the stolen bicycle and was apprehended on SW 8th Avenue.
The arrest report notes that Gould has an active trespass warning from all UF campus properties, including W. Panhellenic Drive.
Because the owner of the bike had not been identified when Gould was arrested, he was charged with fleeing from officers, loitering, and trespassing after a warning.
Gould, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has 11 felony convictions (non-violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (two violent); he has served four state prison sentences, all out of Alachua County, with his most recent release on September 22, 2025. Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard set bail at $45,000.
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.
Right back to prison is where he needs to go! Hasn’t been out but a couple of weeks and already stealing a bike. Some people will never learn from their mistakes so just keep them locked up so our property will be safe.
The conundrum with felons returning to society, is just that: they are felons and profoundly unemployable [would you hire this guy?]. I am not advocating his crime, I am stating a fact. What is this guy supposed to do? He has zero prospects. If I were in a position of influence, I would promote a program(s) that gave ex-offenders a road to making an honest living.
Type the words jail programs into the archive search above and you’ll see they already exist.
Next, type the words convicted felon and see how many years back the articles go. Some people do not want to change no matter how many chances they are offered.
Always thought heavy equipment operator should be a vo-tech program in prison. Learn to build roads. Pay them, but they don’t get the money until they are released.
I get what you are saying. I know there are vo tech courses at the prison in Starke, not sure about other prisons as it said he has served 4 sentences out of Alachua county. I also don’t know the process, is everyone getting out offered that option of vo tech or not. You ask what was he to do….the one thing is not to steal a bike to get around. Walk or use the bus. I know he will have a very hard time getting a job. The only thing I do know is we have to help teach our children and teenagers not to go down this road of crime as it leaves you just like this guy…homeless and now hard to find anyone that is willing to give him a chance at a job.
UF need to warn new students that the city welcomes criminals and Grace doesn’t care who they let in.
Judge Wilson-Bullard rocks!
Another one released from the Florida State Department of Corrections to the Grace Marketplace re-entry center. Maybe the County should fund re-entry services out there? Tonight’s good news, this one was from Alachua County originally, most are coming from the panhandle and Marion County south. Thanks City Commission for helping the State out by bringing these folks in. So much for giving the Guv the finger.
It’s just a matter of time when something heinous happens there. There’s a SSI caseloads apt complex next to that area, of condo units probably owned by lawyers who want a major headline grabbing case again.
ACLUSPLCDNC 👿👹