Man on probation arrested on drug charges

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Reuben Levern Williams Jr., 20, was arrested yesterday after marijuana and oxycodone were reportedly found in his car during a traffic stop.

At about 1:38 p.m. on March 24, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a sedan in the 1000 block of East University Avenue after seeing the driver operating a cell phone in his hands while driving.

Williams, the driver of the car, reportedly said he had a medical marijuana card and he had marijuana in the car; however, the medical marijuana card he gave the deputy reportedly expired in March 2025. The deputy reported that there were several bags of marijuana in plain view in the center console that were not properly packaged as medical marijuana, and he reported smelling burnt marijuana coming from the car.

A probable cause search of the car reportedly produced six baggies of marijuana containing about 4.5 grams each, a bag containing 11.8 grams of ground marijuana, 5 Mylar bags labeled “Cannabis a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance” that each contained about 14.5 grams of marijuana, and over 250 empty sandwich bags.

When Williams was placed in a patrol vehicle, he was warned that any additional contraband would result in more charges, and he reportedly said he had pills tucked into his pants. A search reportedly produced 13 oxycodone pills.

Post Miranda, Williams reportedly said that all of the marijuana was medical marijuana, but it was not prescribed to him. He reportedly said the pills were “Percocet” (oxycodone) and denied selling any of the illegal items found in the vehicle.

Williams has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of oxycodone with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, and violating probation. He has a juvenile conviction from 2022, three adult felony convictions (non-violent), and one adult misdemeanor conviction (non-violent), and he is on probation for burglary of an unoccupied vehicle. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail until the probation violation is resolved and set bail at $135,000 on the new charges.

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.