UF student arrested on warrants outside classroom

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tyler Anthony Brown, 29, was arrested yesterday on three warrants in a classroom building at the University of Florida.

The original charges stem from an incident on May 4, 2024, when Brown allegedly stole an 85″ television from a lounge at Midtown Apartments; he was arrested on that charge and also charged with trespassing and resisting arrest on May 24. He posted $5,500 bail and was released.

In spite of a pre-trial release condition prohibiting Brown from returning to Midtown Apartments, he allegedly returned to that complex on May 28 and moved into an “illegally subleased bedroom as a subtenant.” He also allegedly removed the deadbolt from the bedroom door and replaced it with a different one. A sworn complaint was filed on June 5, charging Brown with theft.

On June 12, formal charges of trespassing and resisting arrest without violence were filed in the May 24 incident.

On July 23, Brown entered a plea of nolo contendere to the trespassing and resisting arrest charges, and he was fined $326, with adjudication of guilt withheld. The plea agreement states that he was one year into a Master’s/PhD degree in History. On the same day, a formal charge of theft was filed from the June 5 sworn complaint, and a Notice to Appear was issued in that case.

On August 12, Brown entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) to dismiss the grand theft charge from May 4 if he complied with the terms of the agreement, which included not violating any laws for 12 months.

On September 3, a sworn complaint was filed, charging Brown with stealing two televisions from the Computer Science and Engineering building at UF on August 16, just four days after the DPA was signed. According to the sworn complaint, Brown tried a number of doors before finding an unlocked door around 2:30 a.m. and carrying two large televisions out of the building. A warrant for Brown’s arrest was issued, with bail set at $100,000.

On September 5, the Notice to Appear in the June 5 case was returned unexecuted, and on September 6, the DPA was revoked because of the new sworn complaint. A formal charge of grand theft was filed for the May 4 incident, and a warrant for Brown’s arrest was issued in the June 5 case, with bail set at $2,000.

On October 29, Brown reportedly missed a court hearing for the May 4 case, and a warrant for his arrest was issued, with bail set at $10,000.

Yesterday, University of Florida Police Department officers went to Brown’s history class in Keene-Flint Hall and called him out of class. The officers reported that Brown physically resisted by bracing, tensing, and attempting to pull away from them, but he was eventually subdued and handcuffed.

Brown was arrested on three warrants and charged with resisting an officer without violence. He has two misdemeanor convictions (none violent). Judge Adam Lee set bail at $115,000, which is the sum of the three warrants plus $3,000 on the new charge.

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.