Man arrested on gun charges is on probation on previous gun charge

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Thomas Edward Ryus Dean, Jr., 25, was arrested yesterday and charged with possession of a stolen firearm, displaying a firearm during a felony, carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and resisting arrest without violence.

Dean was driving a car that was pulled over for allegedly running a stop sign and not coming to a complete stop when driving out of Verdant Cove Apartments. An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted the traffic stop on SE Hawthorne Road and reported that there was a strong smell of marijuana coming from the car when he approached.

The deputy reported that when he told Dean he would be searching the car based on the smell of marijuana, Dean became “argumentative and unresponsive to commands.” He reported that Dean walked away from him at one point; he stopped when the deputy told him to, but he allegedly refused to come back to the patrol car. The deputy reported that when he asked Dean for the keys to his car, Dean turned to run but was quickly detained; however, the deputy wrote that just as he grabbed Dean, Dean took his keys out of his pocket and threw them on the roof of a nearby business. The deputy reported that Dean was eventually taken to the ground before being handcuffed.

A search of Dean’s vehicle reportedly produced a stolen gun in plain view on the driver’s side floorboard, loaded with self-defense hollow-point rounds; 2 baggies containing about 100 grams of marijuana; and several hundred dollars of cash.

Dean was previously arrested in May of 2021 after a shooting. In that case, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, improperly exhibiting a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Formal charges were filed only for the charge of carrying a concealed weapon, and he entered a plea of nolo contendere to that charge in exchange for 18 months of probation (through August 2023); adjudication of guilt was withheld. One of the conditions of his probation is that he not possess any firearms.

Dean has a juvenile criminal history and three adult felony convictions. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $180,000.

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.