Wanted man on pre-trial release arrested by deputies

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tabaree Jakeem Lewis, 40, was arrested yesterday on a warrant, and more charges were added after a deputy saw him near a convenience store and a search of his vehicle produced evidence that he was selling drugs.

At about 11:26 p.m. on January 3, a Gainesville Police Department officer saw Lewis driving a Kia in the 1500 block of SE 3rd Avenue; the officer started following him, and he reportedly made “unusual driving patterns” before pulling into the driveway of a home that “he has no affiliation with.” Lewis reportedly got out of his car, and the officer gave him multiple commands to get back into his car, but Lewis allegedly walked to the other side of his car and dropped narcotics, which later tested positive for cocaine, before fleeing on foot.

Officers reportedly saw a baggie of methamphetamine in plain view in the center console of Lewis’s car, and a search based on that probable cause reportedly produced 24.6 grams of crack cocaine, 28.65 grams of methamphetamine, and 2 grams of MDMA.

A sworn complaint was filed, charging him with trafficking in methamphetamine, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting an officer without violence.

Judge Robert Groeb issued a warrant for Lewis’s arrest on January 20 and set bail at $475,000.

At about 2:33 p.m. on February 2, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling in the 1300 block of East University Avenue when he saw Lewis standing near his Kia. The deputy activated his lights and pulled in front of Lewis, who allegedly fled on foot; Lewis reportedly ran around the back of the store and circled back to the front, where he entered the Food Max. Two deputies entered the store, and an employee pointed toward an employee-only room; a deputy gave commands for Lewis to come out, and he did.

An ASO K-9 team alerted to the presence of contraband in Lewis’s Kia, and a probable cause search reportedly produced 358 grams of marijuana, packaged in small and large quantities for easy distribution; 3.3 grams of marijuana in another location; 10.4 grams of crack cocaine in the center console; and 35.9 grams of an unknown brown substance that did not test positive for any illegal substance but was packaged in small bags for distribution.

A search of Lewis, incident to arrest, reportedly produced about $1,300 in cash.

Lewis reportedly told deputies that he fled because of his warrant and his fear that he “would be going to prison until he was in his sixties.”

On top of the above charges, Lewis has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a convenience store, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, and resisting an office without violence.

Lewis has five felony convictions (two violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); he was on pre-trial release after posting $60,000 bail after a September 2025 arrest for selling cocaine. He has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2024. Judge Susan Miller-Jones added $200,000 bail to the $475,000 from the warrant.

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.