Homeless man arrested on drug and firearm charges

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christopher Bernard Williams, 55, was arrested yesterday after a deputy investigating a car parked illegally in Porters Quarters reported finding a sawed-off shotgun, a pistol, and drugs in the vehicle.

At about 3 p.m. on March 19, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy made contact with Williams, who was sitting in a red Dodge pickup truck parked in the 500 block of SW 6th Place. The deputy reported that the truck was parked illegally, and a query of the tag showed that it had been replaced by another tag that was assigned to a white pickup truck in Pompano Beach. The deputy reported that Williams does not have a medical marijuana card.

Williams reportedly got out of the truck and said the truck belonged to his uncle, who lives near where the truck was parked; the deputy noted that Williams appeared to be intoxicated, and he noted that he could smell marijuana. Williams denied consent to search the truck.

A K-9 team responded and alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics in the truck. A probable cause search reportedly produced the following:

• A short-barreled modified shotgun, loaded with a spent shell; the barrel was about 12 inches long, and the overall length was about 18 inches, shorter than the legal length of 26 inches
• A 9mm pistol, loaded with 17 rounds, and a holster
• A box of 50 9mm bullets
• A pipe with suspected marijuana residue
• Four “colorfully designed Mylar strain bags with marijuana residue”
• About 177 empty baggies, “commonly used to package and distribute drugs”
• Two digital scales, both covered in white powder residue
• Nine razor blades, one with white residue
• A glass plate and a metal pan covered in cocaine residue
• 19 Viagra pills
• A small white rock-like substance that tested positive for cocaine
• A plastic bag containing an unknown brown powder that weighed about 15.7 grams
• About $1,226 in cash

A search of Williams’s pockets reportedly produced about $120 in cash, two Florida EBT cards in other people’s names, and keys that included a Dodge truck key.

Post Miranda, Williams reportedly said, “You caught me in violation.” He said he had been living in the truck for 3-6 months and said he’d had a couple of beers. He said he took “full responsibility” for the items in the truck. He reportedly took ownership of the marijuana and the empty baggies; he said the Viagra pills were his and admitted that he did not have a prescription for them. He initially said there was no crack cocaine in the truck and then said they’d probably found “crack residue.”

When asked if he had any weapons, Williams reportedly said he had a gun; he said someone had put a black handgun in the truck, and somebody else put a shotgun in the truck. He denied ownership of the guns but reportedly admitted to holding them at times and confirmed that he knew they were in the truck. He denied selling drugs; he said the EBT card owners gave him the cards, but he admitted that he did not have written permission to possess them.

One of the EBT card owners is an inmate in the Alachua County Jail, and she reportedly told the deputy she gave Williams her EBT card in exchange for a regular supply of methamphetamine or crack cocaine.

Williams reportedly said he has been “jobless and homeless” for three or four years, and he said the cash was his savings.

The truck’s owner, who said he gave the truck to Williams’s uncle, reportedly said Williams did not have permission to be in the truck.

The deputy noted that the scales, razors, empty baggies, and the plate and pan are all consistent with street-level drug sales.

Williams has been charged with possession of a short-barreled shotgun, three counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, possession of Viagra without a prescription, possession of cocaine, felony possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use it to sell drugs, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He has seven felony convictions (non-violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent). Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $117,500.

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.