Man with women’s underwear fetish charged with burglary

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brandon Alexander Pemberton, 28, was re-arrested yesterday on charges of burglary and attempted burglary connected to a previous incident in which he was charged with loitering after allegedly hanging around the laundry room at The Hammocks on 20th, opening the machines, and touching or removing women’s undergarments.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to the apartment complex on February 28 and was told by a witness that Pemberton had been hanging around the laundry room, opening the machines and reaching inside; the witness told the officer that he never saw Pemberton take anything. The witness said that Pemberton would look around to see if anyone was watching before he opened the machines and that he would go into the bathroom if anyone else came into the laundry. The witness said he had seen Pemberton in the laundry room on previous occasions and that he had once seen Pemberton stealing undergarments and stuffing them in his pockets.

The officer reviewed video surveillance and reportedly saw Pemberton opening and reaching into the laundry machines, checking to see whether anyone was watching, and hiding in the bathroom. While the officer was on scene, Pemberton reportedly returned to the area, and the witness identified him.

Video surveillance at the apartment complex reportedly showed that Pemberton was on the property on February 1, February 2, February 3, February 4, February 13, February 25, and February 28.

Video surveillance from February 1 reportedly shows Pemberton removing at least two items from a washing machine; video surveillance from February 2 reportedly shows him reaching into several washing machines and removing underwear, which he put in his pocket. A witness told an officer that Pemberton was seen on the property on the other dates. That person called 911 to report the incidents on five dates in February, including February 28.

A search of Pemberton’s car on February 28 reportedly produced several women’s undergarments concealed in the tire compartment of the trunk; Pemberton reportedly said he had retrieved those garments from trash cans in the area of NW 13th Street and NW 23rd Avenue.

The new charges, both felonies, were filed via sworn complaint yesterday, and a warrant was issued for Pemberton’s arrest with a bond amount of $30,000. Pemberton was arrested later that day.

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.