Homeless woman with 31 convictions accused of repeatedly stealing from multiple Butler Plaza stores and then going directly to a pawn shop
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sherry Corine Ealum-Morgan, 36, was arrested on October 21 and charged with a series of shoplifting incidents in which officers say she has a pattern of going down a line of Butler Plaza stores with a large tote bag, stealing items from each store, and taking the stolen items directly to a pawn store; more charges were added yesterday.
A Gainesville Police Department detective described the incidents as a “theft rampage” and said there was no doubt about her identity because police officers and Loss Prevention Officers are very familiar with Ealum-Morgan. One Loss Prevention Officer described her as “a well-known thief who staff always watches closely when she comes to the store.”
The detective wrote that Ealum-Morgan’s “normal MO is to go in a line of the same stores in Butler Plaza, including Best Buy. [Ealum-Morgan] will wear a very large tote bag and use it to steal from each store, in a line, before ending up at [the pawn shop], which is right outside of Butler Plaza.”
On October 6, Ealum-Morgan allegedly stole a dash camera worth $699 and a “Clicks” cell phone keyboard priced at $99 from Best Buy and took them to a pawn shop.
On October 15, Ealum-Morgan allegedly stole nine “Clicks” cell phone keyboards from Best Buy and took them to a pawn shop the same day. The detective reported that there were two more incidents of theft from Best Buy, resulting in a loss to Best Buy of almost $2,000 in merchandise.
On October 16, Ealum-Morgan allegedly stole a Dewalt drill and work light worth $238 from Lowe’s and took them to a pawn shop, “along with numerous other items.”
On October 20, Ealum-Morgan allegedly took two Dewalt spindle sanders worth $278 from Lowe’s and took them to a pawn shop, along with items from other stores.
Post Miranda, Ealum-Morgan reportedly admitted to stealing and pawning the “Clicks” keyboards, the dash camera, the drill, and the work light.
Ealum-Morgan, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, is facing charges of felony petit theft and dealing in stolen property in five separate theft cases. She has 14 felony convictions (one violent) and 17 misdemeanor convictions (two violent) and has served three state prison sentences, with her most recent release in 2023. She was released from jail most recently on September 14 after serving a five-month sentence and was arrested again on October 21. The total bail for all the charges is $275,000.
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.
In her spare time she also chairs the local committee of “voters for Ward-Eastman-Ingle-Willits-Cornell-Alford-Wheeler-Prizzia .” She is amazingly versatile, I have to admit.
We need more HOBOS like this she’s a gogetter She’s not just content to stand at off ramp on archer and stare you down when things do go her way she takes matters into her own hands and solves the problem.
https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=T68992&TypeSearch=IR
Catch and release needs to end. I feel bad for the police who see this frequent flyer – they arrest and shortly later she’s back in Best Buy with her big shopping bag.
How about charges for the pawn shop owner who CLEARLY knows the merch is stolen and gives her cash for it anyway?
Also, Grace shouldn’t be a haven for constant criminals. Please incarcerate her forever or make her leave our community.
I’m just curious if they will be charging the pawn shop for dealing in stolen merchandise. Cause, the items being stolen seems kinda obvious.
Are there resources available to her? It sounds like she doesnt have a very good support system when she leaves incarceration.
She doesn’t have a good support system. The well-meaning(?) but misguided ‘leadership’ at city hall does nothing to actually rehabilitate those marginalized by bad choices. To be marked a felon (and a toothless one at that) moves one to the very edge of society. How about this, Harvey: Support the creation of an actual halfway house, with education and career opportunities and a pathway to a new set of teeth? It might even be a Judaeo-Christian *gasp* based nonprofit supported by the city! This instead of prison 2 point oh out at ‘Grace’? Where the only education is where are the best corners for a handout and the easiest marks for theft.
oh my goodness, this woman is always at the jail , ive seen her beat up , pregnant, always has a big attitude and causes huge problems for officers and medical staff , you really need to get out more and smell the urine soaked areas this creature inhabits,
36?
This is the kind of trash that the city of Gainesville encourages to hang around and steal from the taxpayers. It’s bad enough that they use our tax money the fund marketplace, then we have to put up with this BS.
@G howard — I don’t know this woman. I don’t know for sure that she’s an addict. I have seen videos of Joe Rogan interviewing Elon Musk about the “drug zombies” situation in San Francisco. The scenario he describes is sickeningly familiar.
Not sure where you got she’s addict from my post she needs to be put in prison afew years or put on a bus elsewhere and not be stealing from us anymore or algetting our tax dollars?
@ G howard — I wasn’t saying that you said she was an addict. I was wondering if she is.
Oh yeah, she has meth mouth for sure!
They only do it so you can have people you can think ” I’m better than you” about.
Maybe she can get a job working on the $1 Grace expansion.
She clearly has a mental illness. I agree for incarceration for the theft but she needs professional help. She could be a productive citizen.
She doesn’t have a good support system. The well-meaning(?) but misguided ‘leadership’ at city hall does nothing to actually rehabilitate those marginalized by bad choices. To be marked a felon (and a toothless one at that) moves one to the very edge of society. How about this, Harvey: Support the creation of an actual halfway house, with education and career opportunities and a pathway to a new set of teeth? It might even be a Judaeo-Christian *gasp* based nonprofit supported by the city! This instead of prison 2 point oh out at ‘Grace’? Where the only education is where are the best corners for a handout and the easiest marks for theft.
A true Gainesville Ambassador! The pawn shops on the other hand, if it were not for stolen items they would all be out of business. I blame them as well.
Everybody, write to DeSantis right now. Tell him our community has been taken over by the ACLUSPLCDNC Party oligarchs, and must be overthrown at once.
Put vetted citizen juries in oversight of the local courts, parole, probation, bail bondsmen, homeless and addict shelters immediately!
👿👹💩🤡👺
She’s 36? Wow.
Curious why a pawn shop would continually accept goods from a known thief. No consequences for them?
She must enjoy her “home” courtesy of the jail.
She must be donating part of her loot to the local dnc.
These multi billion dollar big box stores especially, need to take more responsibility for the security of their merchandise. It is not the public’s job to pay for the stopping of pilferage and theft; it is the job of the store. The most egregious misuse of the police is by far, Walmart. They and the others do nothing, except show low quality surveillance video, if that, to the police. Making pawn shops more responsible for the merchandise they buy or hock would help greatly also.