Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Xavier Dion Mitchell, 37, was arrested yesterday and charged with possession of trafficking quantities of cocaine and fentanyl (formed into pills that look like oxycodone), possession of marijuana and methadone with intent to sell, tampering with evidence, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released from prison in April after serving multiple drug trafficking sentences.

At about 6:28 p.m., a Gainesville Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block of NE 11th Street for several lane change violations and driving at a high rate of speed. When the officer activated his lights and sirens, he reported that the front seat passenger picked up a bag from his lap and threw it out the window at NE 5th Avenue and NE 12th Court.

Officers reportedly retrieved the bag and noted a strong smell of marijuana coming from the bag. A search of the bag reportedly produced five baggies of marijuana for a total of about 88 grams, along with another baggie that was reportedly found on Mitchell’s person in a search incident to arrest; that baggie brought the total to about 96 grams of marijuana.

The bag also reportedly held two baggies containing about 59.3 grams of powdered cocaine, 48 pills that tested positive for fentanyl but were “clearly hand pressed to match” oxycodone pills, and about 3.9 grams of methadone. The bag also reportedly contained “hundreds” of empty plastic bags and a digital scale. The officer noted, “The sheer amount of narcotics along with the scale and plastic bags are only consistent with narcotics sales.”

Post Miranda, Mitchell reportedly said at first that he didn’t know anything about the bag but later admitted buying the narcotics to sell them to make money. He reportedly provided the officer with the exact weight of one of the bags of cocaine, and he said he sells narcotics to support his family.

Mitchell has 15 felony convictions (none violent) and 13 misdemeanor convictions (none violent) out of Alachua and Sumter counties. He has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in April 2024.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail on the fentanyl trafficking charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial. She set bail at $305,000 on the other charges.

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.