Prowling investigation leads to five felony charges for possession of drugs and a gun
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kristopher Le’vone Cooper, 21, was arrested early this morning and charged with possession of a concealed firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony, possession of molly and marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a daycare, prowling, and resisting arrest without violence.
A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer patrolling in an unmarked car near the Woodland Park neighborhood reported that he observed a silver car turning around at 1900 SE 4th Street and then saw a man, later identified as Cooper, getting out of the car. The officer reportedly saw Cooper walking slowly through yards and alongside vehicles, staying in the shadows. Another officer then reported that he saw a man standing by a house at the intersection of SE 4th Street and SE 19th Place. The first officer drove to the area, confirmed that the man was Cooper, and reported that Cooper was standing by the back door of a residence. When Cooper saw the car, he reportedly walked around the back of the residence, out of sight.
The officer reportedly saw Cooper again between two buildings, near a wooded area. The officer called for marked patrol vehicles, and before they arrived, Cooper came out to SE 19th Place and started walking eastbound.
A GPD officer made contact with Cooper and detained him after some delay in his response to commands to stop. The first officer asked Cooper if he had any weapons, and Cooper reportedly said that he didn’t but then changed his story and said he had a gun.
A search reportedly produced a 9mm handgun in Cooper’s waistband, and officers also took a backpack from Cooper. After Cooper reportedly said his ID was in the backpack, officers searched it for his ID and reportedly found a smaller bag containing suspected narcotics and a loaded magazine attached to a drum.
Officers reported that the bag contained 22.59 grams of “mollie” and 53.53 grams of marijuana.
Post Miranda, Cooper reportedly said he was in the neighborhood to visit a girl but asked officers not to contact her. When asked why he was standing near another house, Cooper reportedly said the house belonged to his aunt but then said it was “someone’s sister that I call my aunt.”
Cooper has a juvenile history and also has four felony convictions (one violent) and one violent misdemeanor conviction; he was released from state prison in July 2022 after serving a two-year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, obstructing an investigation, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon or adjudicated delinquent. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $280,000.
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
Here’s a suggestion for GPD & they can’t get blamed for racial profiling:
Stop and pat down everyone who has face ink. Given recent trends, they should get at least 65 – 70% of the convicted felons with guns off the streets. Provide an incentive, something like 1 day off for every gun seized.
Until then, protect yourselves and your families if you’re legally able. The criminals not only have guns, they’re also prowling around our homes & childcare centers.
Given his artistic talent and demographics he wouldn’t have had any difficulty getting into UF’s School of Art.
It is generally a good idea to avoid people with face and neck tattoos. The last time I checked the Army doesn’t allow recruits with face or neck tattos. That’s not discriminatory- that’s just common sense. Getting a tattoo like this is a clear sign that you are not abiding by our society’s norms and want to distance yourself from these norms. That’s fine, it’s just you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too- the end result should be that we as a society distance ourselves from you, as well.
I’m glad he got the face tattoo so he can be identified easy…an unshaven Black guy with tattoo between eyebrows
And a tattoo by left eye…
Cooper really didn’t think this face tat thing through… now it could end up hindering that big job search I’m sure he has planned.
And now an appropriate bond from Jaws…that judge is a real head-scratcher…
Frankly, I’m shocked. In my experience, people with face tattoos tend to be fine, upstanding citizens.
Poor district 1. They just need churches with preachers that don’t make excuses.
Already spent most of his adult life in prison. Where are the programs to set up a prisoner to succeed when they are released? Education? Job skills?