Pair arrested after allegedly squatting in apartment while resident was in a rehab hospital

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brandon Jeffery Debose, 38, and Paige Maxine Dreyfuss, 30, were arrested yesterday after deputies allegedly found them in an apartment while the owner was in a rehab hospital; deputies learned they had been living there for some time.

At about 1:28 p.m. yesterday, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call at Tower Village regarding a burglary in progress. The caller reportedly said that a white female and black male had entered an apartment and that the owner of the apartment is currently in a rehab hospital.

The deputy made contact with Debose and Dreyfuss, who were reportedly inside the apartment. He asked them to come outside and stand near his patrol car. He said Dreyfuss complied, but Debose walked away, ignoring commands to stop. When the deputy grabbed Debose’s hands to detain him in handcuffs, Debose allegedly pulled away and tried to run but was caught in the parking lot.

Debose was placed under arrest for resisting an officer, and after confirming his identity, the deputy learned that he had active warrants for child support. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced 3.8 grams of marijuana and a hand-rolled “blunt” containing MDPV.

The deputy contacted the apartment resident, who wanted to pursue criminal charges for burglary. The deputy reported that personal property belonging to Debose was inside the apartment and that Dreyfuss said Debose had brought her to the apartment “for many nights” and had been moving his property into the apartment. She said Debose told her to tell the deputy that they were cleaning the apartment.

Debose was arrested on the child support warrants and charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, residential burglary, and resisting an officer without violence. He has three felony convictions (none violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He owes $3,770 in child support, and the bail amount on the new charges is currently unavailable.

Dreyfuss has five felony convictions (four violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (two violent). She had warrants for violating probation in three 2022 cases involving battery and child abuse. She is being held without bail in those cases.

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. 

  • “A search incident to arrest reportedly produced 3.8 grams of marijuana and a hand-rolled “blunt” containing MDPV…charged with…possession of a controlled substance without a prescription”

    Curious about this charge. Do marijuana charges now include possession of controlled substance w/o Rx charge since medical marijuana is legal here? Or does that charge relate to the MDPV/bath salt, which I assume is not available by Rx?

    • Maybe it would work better if you asked a LEO that question, instead of AC readers.

    • It’s for the MDPV, which is a controlled substance. This is the statute:
      A person may not be in actual or constructive possession of a controlled substance unless such controlled substance was lawfully obtained from a practitioner or pursuant to a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice or to be in actual or constructive possession of a controlled substance except as otherwise authorized by this chapter. A person who violates this provision commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

      • Thank you for clarifying, Jennifer!

        I realize state laws are different but since Feds (DEA) still list marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance (although legally available by Rx in Fla) it made me wonder about this type of charge. Seems slippery

  • Take notice that no name was given for the resident of the apartment, more than likely it’s someone one of them knew directly or indirectly. I’m guessing that Debose or Dreyfuss has a connection to the victim. How else would they have gained access to the apartment. I’m in no way condoning their actions, both perpetrators were known criminals by law enforcement and neither can be trusted. I’d imagine this case is going to be pled out because of all the murky circumstances.

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