Man on pre-trial release arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after allegedly running from officer

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Diatrez Plaise Anderson, 21, who is on pre-trial release on two previous cases, including a firearm possession charge, was arrested early this morning and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting an officer without violence.

A Gainesville Police Department officer attempted a traffic stop on a car on SE Hawthorne Road at about 12:43 a.m. this morning after law enforcement received a tip that people inside the car had guns; the vehicle had also reportedly committed “multiple traffic infractions.” The car fled into a dead-end road, and the driver and passenger fled on foot.

After a brief foot chase, the passenger, later identified as Anderson, was reportedly found lying down in bushes; after ignoring multiple commands, he allegedly fled again. He was reportedly found inside an RV that was parked at a nearby home.

A search of the surrounding area reportedly produced a Glock 19x 9mm gun in Anderson’s flight path.

Anderson was charged as an adult with possession of MDMA in 2019 when he was 17 years old; at the time, he already had a juvenile conviction. About a month later, he was released to court supervision, but he failed to provide documentation of a scheduled substance abuse evaluation and failed to make weekly contact with Court Services. He was re-arrested and was sentenced to 18 months of drug offender probation in March 2020 along with 46 days in jail, with credit for 46 days served; adjudication of guilt was withheld.

Anderson was arrested in April 2020 in Columbia County and charged with possession of two firearms, one of which had an altered serial number; he was also charged with marijuana possession, possession of drug equipment, and tampering with evidence. He also failed to report to Court Services within 72 hours of his release from the Columbia County Jail. In July 2020, Judge William Davis reinstated all terms and conditions of his probation. A few days later, his probation officer reported that Anderson had failed a drug screen, thus violating his probation again. In August, Judge Davis dismissed that affidavit and wrote, “[I]t has been demonstrated that probation should not be revoked as the interests of society may be best served otherwise”; Davis again reinstated the probation.

A month later, Anderson again failed a drug test, and his probation officer reported that he had not completed substance abuse treatment as ordered. A warrant was issued for his arrest in December, and Anderson was re-arrested. In February 2021, Anderson entered a plea, admitting that he violated probation, and he was sentenced to 220 days in jail, with credit for 107 days served.

Anderson was arrested again in October 2021 after a traffic stop and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and multiple drug charges, but the charges were dropped a month later.

Anderson was arrested again in November 2022 and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of trafficking amounts of substituted cathinone. He was released on $30,000 bond and remains on pre-trial release in that case. He is not permitted to possess firearms, alcohol, or illegal drugs under the conditions of his pre-trial release.

Anderson was arrested again in April 2023 after he allegedly offered a “hit” from his “blunt” to a police officer. He was released on $7,000 bond. The marijuana possession charge was dropped, but a formal charge of tampering with evidence was filed, and he remains on pre-trial release in that case.

Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.