Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Danielle Dean Gainey, 42, who is on probation and was arrested last week on 91 charges related to fraudulent use of a credit card, has been charged with additional felonies after a deputy allegedly found mail, gift cards, debit and credit cards, and checks in other people’s names in her bag.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy reported that he was patrolling the area around Moe’s on Newberry Road on February 27 when he made contact with Gainey, who had a warrant. He wrote that Gainey was carrying a small backpack, and a syringe was reportedly sticking out of a pocket on the backpack. When asked, Gainey reportedly said the syringe was used for “ice,” or methamphetamine. Based on that probable cause, the deputy searched the bag.

The search reportedly produced about 0.33 grams of methamphetamine and about 0.49 grams of MDPV (“molly”). Four more syringes were also reportedly found.

The deputy reported finding gift cards, debit and credit cards, mail belonging to other people, and checks addressed to other people in the bag. Gainey reportedly said that the gift cards, debit and credit cards, and checks were given to her by her meth dealer so she could “check them” in exchange for drugs.

Post Miranda, Gainey reportedly said her meth dealer collected mail from the trash cans in the mailbox area at Gainey’s apartment complex, Legacy at Fort Clarke, 1505 Fort Clarke Blvd. Gainey reportedly said she had been working with her meth dealer for some time and that she had received a gram of methamphetamine for “checking” all of the information and cards that were in the bag.

The deputy reported that Gainey had approximately 34 checks totaling $25,785.94, written to Gainey from various businesses; 12 gift cards from different retailers; and 29 debit or credit cards owned by various people. According to statements reportedly made by Gainey, all of these accounts were associated with information taken from the trash cans at Legacy at Fort Clarke. However, the deputy also noted that the cards were still with the documents that had been mailed from the various financial institutions, indicating that “those cards are stolen and not simply discarded.”

Gainey has been charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, fraudulent possession of cards belong to five or more people, possession of a stolen credit/debit card, and four counts of possession of drug equipment.

In addition to the new charges and the 91 charges filed last week, Gainey also has a pending sworn complaint for allegedly stealing a generator from an address in High Springs and pawning it in Newberry in August 2023.

Gainey has two felony convictions (none violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (none violent). She is on drug probation on drug charges. Judge Susan Miller-Jones added $80,000 bail to Gainey’s previous $197,000 bail.

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.