Man on probation arrested for burglary, battery, and property damage

Staff report

Updated on February 19 with pre-trial detention information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Babyray Dean Booker, 39, was arrested late last night and charged with burglary, battery, and property damage.

At about 11:40 p.m. on February 11, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call about a burglary in progress; deputies reported that they detained Booker in the front yard of the victim’s home because he was actively pulling on the front door when they arrived.

The victim reportedly said that at about 10:30 a.m. that morning, Booker approached him on his front porch and punched him in the face. The victim said he retreated into the residence and tried to keep Booker out, but Booker overpowered him, entered the residence, and pushed him to the floor.

The victim said he convinced Booker to leave the residence, but once he was outside, Booker picked up a broom handle from the ground and broke the front window of the residence.

The victim said Booker had returned at about 11:30 p.m. and had tried to enter the home again.

A deputy noted that the victim had swelling and bruising on his face, and there was broken glass on the ground under a broken window; a broom handle was on the ground with the broken glass.

Booker and the victim named the same two witnesses to the earlier incident, but deputies reported that the witnesses could not be located.

A deputy reported that Booker appeared to be intoxicated and became “very belligerent” at times.

Booker has been charged with burglary with battery, burglary of an occupied dwelling, and property damage. He has four felony convictions (non-violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (two violent), and he is on probation for threatening a witness. Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial. On February 19, Judge David Kreider granted the motion and ordered him held without bail until trial.

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.