Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities apprehended 46-year-old Handy Roman Ford Jr. yesterday, accusing him of selling crack cocaine to a confidential informant earlier this year in February.
In February 2026, an officer from the Gainesville Police Department collaborated with the Gainesville Alachua County Drug Task Force to orchestrate a controlled purchase. A confidential informant bought roughly 10 grams of crack cocaine from Ford at a parking lot located at the intersection of NW 13th Street and NW 39th Avenue. It is alleged that Ford set up the deal through a phone call.
Ford is now facing charges of selling a controlled substance and unlawful use of a communication device. He reportedly works as a delivery driver for DoorDash and Uber Eats. His criminal record includes nine felony convictions, two of which are violent, alongside 13 misdemeanor convictions, with two violent offenses. Ford has served four prison terms, with his most recent release in 2019. Judge Susan Miller-Jones has set his bail at $150,000.
News articles regarding arrests are informed by reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges mentioned are sourced from arrest reports and court records, serving as accusations only. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.