Man charged with seven felonies after allegedly stealing gun and hiding it in a dumpster

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kevin Gabriel Arias-Rivera, 27, was arrested yesterday and charged with seven felonies and a misdemeanor after officers responded to a report of a stolen gun.

A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer responded to Hunters Crossing Apartments at about 6:40 p.m. after a woman who had been dating Arias-Rivera called 911 and reported that Arias-Rivera had taken her gun and would not give it back. During an argument over the gun, Arias-Rivera allegedly snatched the victim’s phone, punched her in the face, and pushed her to the ground. A witness reportedly corroborated the victim’s account of the incident.

Arias-Rivera reportedly brought out a different gun, a polymer copy of a Glock 23 without a serial number, and gave it to the victim in place of her Glock 23, which has a serial number. He allegedly put her gun in a backpack and drove away but returned a short time later without the backpack.

Post Miranda, Arias-Rivera reportedly said he did not know why the officers were there and that he had never put his hands on the victim. When he was asked where her gun was, he reportedly said, “I’m a convicted felon, I can’t have guns.”

A GPD K-9 searched the apartment complex and reportedly found the backpack in a dumpster. A search of the backpack reportedly produced the victim’s Glock, a Taurus GC3, and a Winchester Ranger Model 140 12-gauge shotgun. The shotgun’s barrel and stock were reportedly sawed off to make it more concealable.

Arias-Rivera has been charged with three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled shotgun, obstructing communication with law enforcement, tampering with evidence, grand theft of a firearm, and domestic battery.

In 2016, Arias-Rivera was convicted on federal charges of carjacking with a firearm in Puerto Rico; he was sentenced to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of probation. His probation was terminated in Texas in August 2023.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $215,000.

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. 

  • Well the only way that you get to don one of those dark green smocks it to say you want to kill yourself. So he must know that he messed up.

  • Confer with US attorney and see if they can bring federal charges upon him. Maybe they can keep him for 20 years this time. He doesn’t seem to have any remorse.

  • How come we can’t comment under mugshots anymore ? Please bring that back!!!

  • Send him back to Puerto Rico permanently. WTF was the victim dating him for, didn’t she use Google first? 💩👹🤡🥺

  • Apparently Walmart did not Google him either, cause he was employed by them during his latest arrest. So much for checking an associates background. He was hired, fired and rehired by Walmart.

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