Homeless man on pre-trial release arrested for stealing bike from sleeping man at GRACE

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jamaine Davonta Fairley, 24, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with robbery and battery after allegedly waking a 76-year-old man at GRACE Marketplace and making him unlock his bicycle so he could steal it; Fairley was last arrested in May and was released in June for outpatient mental health treatment.

At about 3:27 a.m. on July 15, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to GRACE Marketplace (3055 NE 28th Drive), where the victim said he had been sleeping next to his bicycle, valued at $697, and had locked it to his backpack. He said Fairley woke him by kicking him in the side and yelling at him to give him the bicycle.

The victim said Fairley put him in a headlock, covered his nose and mouth, and suffocated him. He said Fairley demanded that he unlock his bicycle, so he unlocked the bicycle and Fairley walked away with it.

Surveillance video reportedly showed Fairley approaching the victim while he was sleeping, kicking him to wake him, and holding his fist up in a threatening manner until the victim unlocked the bicycle; Fairley then walked away with the bicycle.

Multiple staff members pointed Fairley out to the officer, and post Miranda, Fairley reportedly said he is emotionally unstable and abuses illegal drugs; he said he is prescribed medication for his mental health diagnosis, but he has not been taking the medication. He reportedly said he woke up the victim because he wanted his bicycle, and he had to shake him because he would not wake up. He said that after the victim woke up, the victim unlocked the bicycle, and he walked away with it and left it behind the building.

A witness reportedly told the officer that he saw Fairley attacking the victim and demanding his bicycle.

The officer noted that when he detained Fairley, Fairley was wearing different clothing from the clothing shown in the video, and he asked him about that; Fairley reportedly said he was getting ready to take a shower in the bathroom.

Fairley was also charged with trespassing after a warning; he was reportedly trespassed indefinitely from GRACE Marketplace on May 11, 2025.

Fairley has been charged with robbery, battery by strangulation, battery on a person over 65, battery with a previous battery conviction, and trespassing after a warning. He has juvenile convictions between 2017 and 2019, seven adult felony convictions (three violent), and one adult misdemeanor conviction (non-violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in July 2024.

Fairley was last arrested on May 14, 2025, when GRACE staff called law enforcement because he was on the property after being trespassed; he was also charged with resisting an officer without violence after allegedly running from the officer. His case was referred to the Mental Health Court, and on June 25, Court Services recommended outpatient counseling “to address co-occurring addiction and depression with an assessment for medication management.” Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him released on his own recognizance to Court Services to be evaluated and follow the recommended treatment plan. He was released on June 26 and failed to report on June 30, July 1, July 2, and July 3, so a warrant for his arrest was issued on July 8. His case has now been removed from Mental Health Court.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $300,000 for the robbery and battery charges, $5,000 for the trespassing charge, and $5,000 for the May 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.