Man arrested at GRACE Marketplace for drug trafficking after his mother overdosed on fentanyl

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Donald Anthony Dohrn, Jr., 34, was arrested yesterday on drug trafficking charges after his mother was taken to the hospital for overdosing on fentanyl.

At about 11 a.m., Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a report of an overdose at GRACE Marketplace (3055 NE 28th Drive), and Dohrn’s mother was transported to a hospital; Dohrn’s arrest report notes that his mother was later confirmed to have overdosed on fentanyl.

An officer reported that he had a consensual conversation with Dohrn about 10 minutes after his mother was transported to the hospital, and Dohrn reportedly said he and his mother frequently “shot up fentanyl” together and that he normally injects his mother with fentanyl, but he did not know who injected her that morning. Dohrn reportedly said he just happened to be nearby and noticed that his mother was unresponsive.

The officer noted that Dohrn was sweating profusely and moving erratically, “although he remained polite in conversation.” The officer believed that Dohrn was under the influence of narcotics and noticed that both of his pockets were bulging. Because they were standing “in the middle of a crowded homeless encampment area,” the officer asked Dohrn if he would show officers the contents of his pocket to dispel their concerns about safety.

Dohrn reportedly agreed and started pulling items out of his pocket, including a baggie of what he described as “a little bit of weed,” several lighters, and a phone; he then took out a green cylindrical container about the size of a prescription pill bottle, which was “crammed full of multiple clear plastic bags containing what appeared to be a variety of different narcotics, both in powder and rock form.”

The officer reported that Dohrn looked down at the container in dismay and immediately put it back in his pocket, then he began to look confused and said the container was not his and he found it on the ground.

The officer detained Dohrn in handcuffs due to the windy conditions and the suspicion that he had a large amount of fentanyl.

A search of Dohrn reportedly produced 13.2 grams of fentanyl (a trafficking amount), 20.5 grams of methamphetamine (a trafficking amount), 3.7 grams of cocaine, 1 gram of crack cocaine, and two more bags of marijuana. A package of fentanyl test strips was reportedly found in Dohrn’s pocket, and a fourth bag of marijuana and a brillo pad were reportedly found in plain sight in his vehicle.

Post Miranda, Dohrn reportedly said at first that he had not used fentanyl or any other narcotic that day and was dealing with withdrawal symptoms. He said at first that he found the narcotics on the ground, then said somebody gave them to him, and later reportedly admitted that he owned them, had spent over $1,100 buying the narcotics, and “had a problem.” He reportedly denied selling the drugs and said it was all for personal use. He also reportedly admitted that he had used fentanyl multiple times that day.

Dohrn was transported to a hospital for medical treatment because his vital signs were concerning due to his use of narcotics.

Dohrn has been charged with possession of trafficking amounts of fentanyl, possession of trafficking amounts of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has two felony convictions (non-violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); he has served one state prison sentence for cocaine possession and was released in May 2024. He was arrested in December 2024 for drug possession and reportedly told the arresting officer that his mother had given him the drugs; he entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge and served about two months in the Alachua County Jail.

Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

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.