Man arrested for stealing and selling roommate’s laptop and guitar

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Cory Anthony Houk, 37, was arrested yesterday and charged with dealing in stolen property after allegedly stealing and selling his roommate’s laptop, guitar, and other items.

The victim told a Gainesville Police Department officer that when he returned from being away for a few weeks, the apartment he shares with Houk in the 2100 block of NE 2nd Street was ransacked and most of his valuables were missing. The victim also reported that there were bodily fluids all over the apartment, particularly in his bedroom. He said he suspected Houk because Houk did not seem surprised that the apartment was ransacked, and Houk’s belongings were “barely touched.” He said he keeps the laptop in the living room and allows Houk to use it but never gave Houk permission to take it or sell it. The guitar had prevously been mounted on the wall in the victim’s bedroom.

A neighbor reportedly told the officer that Houk tried to sell her a laptop and a guitar around December 27.

Houk reportedly told the officer that people have been stealing from him for months, but he has not reported it to the police. He also said that someone broke his window a few weeks ago, but the officer said Houk had previously said he had thrown himself through the window when he was high on narcotics.

Post Miranda, Houk reportedly said that people who look like the victim often come into the apartment and act like they are the victim and that his clothes and DVDs were missing. The officer reported that Houk kept describing random people who may have broken into the apartment and talked about being a victim of crimes that occurred weeks ago. He said the victim gave him the laptop and he sold it to someone else in the complex, but he could not say who bought it. He denied ever having or selling the victim’s guitar. The officer reported that when he asked Houk about the guitar, Houk kept telling a story about seeing a child with a guitar several months ago, before the victim left on his trip.

Houk has an unspecified criminal history in Georgia between 2002 and 2022; he reportedly refused to answer questions about how long he has been in this area. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $40,000.

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.