Man on probation arrested near UF campus on multiple warrants
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Caleb James Martin, 20, who has had an active warrant since last May for violating probation and two more warrants related to domestic battery and stalking from March, was arrested last night in a residential area across from the UF campus.
At about 11:53 p.m. on April 10, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers responded to the 1400 block of West University Avenue to assist officers and deputies from the University of Florida Police Department (UFPD) and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) after Martin allegedly ran from a UFPD officer into a residential area.
A UFPD officer found and detained Martin, and GPD officers arrested him. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a bag containing about 3.2 grams of fentanyl.
In April 2025, Martin entered a plea of nolo contendere to possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent and resisting an officer without violence; Judge James Colaw withheld adjudication of guilt and sentenced him to one year of community control (house arrest), followed by two years of probation.
One month later, on May 11, 2025, he allegedly fled from a traffic stop, crashed the car, and then fled on foot. A sworn complaint was filed, but no warrant has been issued, and Martin has not been booked on the charges from that incident.
However, Martin was instructed to report to the community control officer at least once a week, and on May 13, 2025, he failed to report; a violation affidavit was filed, alleging that he had moved from the address he gave the community control officer, committed new criminal offenses, failed to report, and was not at his residence when an officer checked on him on May 14. A warrant for his arrest was issued on May 20, 2025.
On February 19, 2026, Martin allegedly punched his girlfriend and choked her until she was unconscious, preventing her from talking to deputies who arrived in response to her 911 call, which was abruptly ended. The same victim told an ASO deputy on March 15 that Martin was stalking her and had threatened to kill her, and the deputy reported that Martin called the victim multiple times from a blocked number while he was taking the victim’s report. Warrants for both of those incidents were issued on March 16.
Martin has been charged with violating probation, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, hindering communication with law enforcement, aggravated stalking, possession of fentanyl, and resisting an officer without violence. Judge David Kreider ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.
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.
Why does it take so long to execute warrants on potentially dangerous individuals?
Well Mr duck, it’s usually because they’re somehow related to the cop’s here. Small town politics is rampant in this town
ASO used have a area on their website that listed people for both felony and misdemeanor warrants. The number of warrants in Alachua County is probably very large. They probably have a small number of personnel dedicated to the warrants division and rely more in law enforcement agencies within the county to come in contact with wanted people. So wanted people fly under the radar until they slip up.
Judge Colaw is another useless judge withholding adjudication and giving a probation to another POS who then commits more crimes. Those of which would not haven been committed if he was jail.
What I find so uninformed and ignorant about your response is that you trash without question to best judge in the circuit. Judge Colaw is very tough. Looks like from the circuit8 website that he is the only judge that puts out for the public his case numbers. He has sentenced over 12,000 defendants. This paper only writes about the occasional sentence where he gives someone a chance (for one reason or another based on what gets presented by both SAO and the defense). Search how many cases the paper ever writes about, its a very very very small number. The media specifically excludes from your consideration all the other sentences (which LEO and the other public love him for) and feeds you a handful of these which you eat up like a lap dog. And you get manipulated into trashing the best judge we currently have. Why do you think that is? To whose benefit is that? What do you think the goal of that is? Start thinking for yourself or doing some actual research. Maybe even go watch court sometime- its open to the public- and then see for yourself. Even better- wonder if we will ever get to know what ultimately happens to him now? Guarantee you we won’t. Be better- your comments only help the liberals.
Search “Colaw sentenced” in the Alachua Chronicle search box for a more accurate perspective on our coverage of Judge Colaw’s cases.
https://alachuachronicle.com/?s=colaw+sentenced
HF, I can see Colaw’s pattern and it is not that great. Ive spent a lot of time within the Judicial System and I have seen what several judges have done to make the 8th circuit a laughing stock. There have been very few judges since Buck Curtain who handed out stiff sentencing and fines the way he did. And this area was better off. First Appearance, traffic court, people would hear that Judge Curtain was sitting and they would run to the clerks office to pay the fine in lieu of Judge Curtain’s ruling. Case in point recent decisions by Judge Danne were almost laughable if they were not serious offenses. I do not bow down to liberals or conservatives when it comes to my thoughts on Judicial proceedings. I am old school and like tall oak trees. The Chronicle publishes articles that show the violence and wrath of repeat offenders who would not be on the streets if proper sentencing for initial crimes was done. Maybe you should consider a head count of the victims that should have never be in a position to be a victim of some of these repeat offenders. That is why I am glad that US Attorney has taken a lot of the firearm cases. They will get prison time versus probation, diversion sentencing, adjudication withheld, and time served sentencing for felony crimes.
Idk you Bear9765 so I will respectfully provide 2 responses and then wish you the best.
(1) I agree with you that Judge Curtin was a great judge, much respect for him. But he hasnt been on the bench as a regular judge for almost 20 years now. But if you are familiar with him and respect his opinion, you should ask him what he thinks of judge colaw. i’m guessing he will agree with me
(2) If what you claim about judge colaw is true then why do all the criminals fear him the most? they refer to him as father time, the same as judge glant, who was also a great judge before he passed. The bad guys lose their mind when they learn he is their judge.
But you are entitled to your opinion. However, your opinion is playing into the hands of the people you disagree with the most.
Yeah Bear, they dropped his gun charge.
He has probably earned a few more misdemeanors using free phone calls from the jail to harass his domestic battery victim.
Those eyes say so much…the stereotypical “angry black man”. He’s a ticking timebomb. Who raised this man? What the h*ll happened?
serious therapy in a controlled environment needed before we have to deal with him ever again.
Glad he got that neck tattoo!
It was a guy with a face mask 😷 and a big 8 on his neck!