Man in deferred prosecution agreement arrested with drugs and stolen gun

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Malik Tajuan Brown, Jr., 18, was arrested early this morning and charged with grand theft of a firearm, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent (someone under 24 who has been convicted of an offense that would be a felony for an adult), and resisting an officer without violence.

At about 12:20 a.m., a Gainesville Police Department Officer saw a black Tesla traveling south on Clark Butler Blvd.; the Tesla reportedly passed a truck at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at a stop sign. The officer followed the Tesla into a charging station and made contact with Brown as he got out of the car.

The officer reported that he could smell marijuana coming from Brown and the car, and Brown reportedly produced a bag containing 14.4 grams of marijuana. The officer informed him that he was under arrest, and the arrest report notes that Brown called his probation officer to let her know he was out past curfew and was in contact with a law enforcement officer.

A search of the Tesla reportedly produced a Glock 43X that had been reported stolen out of Apopka.

When two officers tried to place Brown in handcuffs, he allegedly pulled away and ran; he was tracked and apprehended by a K-9 team.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a single 5.56 caliber bullet.

Post Miranda, Brown reportedly said he found the bullet at the carwash while cleaning the vehicle. He reportedly denied any knowledge of the gun at first but later said he found it while cleaning the car. He said he ran because he knew he would be going to jail for the firearm. He said he had come from Orlando earlier in the day.

Brown has a juvenile conviction for illegally carrying a concealed firearm and is currently in a deferred prosecution agreement for fleeing from law enforcement at a high rate of speed. Under the agreement, the charge will be dropped if he refrains from violating the law until December 2024.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $104,000.

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.