Man recently released from prison arrested for breaking into two occupied apartments
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Patrick McLaughlin III, 41, was arrested early yesterday morning after allegedly kicking in the door of two apartments at Greystone Luxury Apartments.
At about 5:59 a.m. on April 7, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to Greystone Luxury Apartments (911 SW 6th Avenue) and reported that McLaughlin had entered through the back door of the building and kicked the door of one apartment completely off the frame before pushing his way past the threshold of the doorway. Two residents reportedly pushed from the inside to prevent him from fully entering the apartment, and McLaughlin allegedly moved to a second apartment, kicked in the door, and entered the apartment.
McLaughlin allegedly went into the bathroom of the second apartment and knocked some items off a shelf before he saw one of the apartment’s residents holding a knife and the two residents from the first apartment, who had come to help. McLaughlin reportedly fled from the building, and officers located him and arrested him outside the building.
All three victims reportedly identified McLaughlin as the person who had kicked in their doors and entered their apartments.
McLaughlin, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with two counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling. He has 11 felony convictions (four violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he has served six state prison sentences, with his most recent release on March 28, 2025. 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, and ordered a mental health evaluation.
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.Â
Send this tweaker back to prison where he belongs. He’s lucky he’s still alive.
The victims should sue the city for not keeping them safe from the homeless, as their latest feel-good release seemed to imply they would be doing. The victims will never be the same after having a crazy person kick his way into their locked student apartments.
Agree. A victim needs to sue the sh!t out of the city. The city (and county) continue to attract, house, and support violent criminals with zero concern for citizen’s safety. Most are not just random lifelong Gville citizens that ran in to hard times…these are out of town criminals.. professional grifters that our own government is seducing in
I don’t understand why people don’t exercise their 2nd amendment rights around here. It’s mind boggling. Too liberal.
Liberal nothing most apt complex around here prohibit guns in the dwelling in the lease. It’s legal because it is a private contract between landlord and tenants not government interfering. And our government in Tallahassee loves protecting business rights
Definitely a candidate for repeat offender sentencing.
“McLaughlin, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace”
Thanks again to our loony liberal commissioners and those who vote them in. Maybe when someone kicks in your door you’ll finally figure things out.
Come kick my door in. Te he ,giggle.
Thank you city commission! 😫😡
Stand your ground & protect your domain. Then it should be cleared as a police service call. Enough!!!
“He has 11 felony convictions (four violent) and 18 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he has served six state prison sentences, with his most recent release on March 28, 2025.”
Clearly this guy just doesn’t “get it” doesn’t want to “get it” and isn’t going to “get it.”
We need to bring back prison farms where those incarcerated have to work repairing roads and infrastructure, farming to produce their own food, make license plates etc.
Working, learning a trade is so much better than sitting around watching tv, lifting weights, and plotting one’s next crime.