Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jacob Cecil Stager, 18, was arrested early this morning for allegedly stealing an elderly woman’s phone and transferring money to his account with her phone.

At about 11:30 p.m. on October 8, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to Hidden Oaks Mobile Home Park, where the 72-year-old victim reported fraudulent activity on her Zelle account.

She said Stager, a friend of her son’s, had been invited to their home on Sunday, October 5, and she left her phone on her chair when she left the room for a moment. She said that when she returned, her phone wasn’t in the chair, and Stager was no longer there. She said her son denied taking her phone and said he didn’t know whether Stager had taken it. The victim said that because she didn’t know whether the phone was lost or stolen, she purchased another phone.

On October 8, the victim received notifications from her bank that four Zelle transactions had been attempted on her account in the amounts of $1,400, $1,000, $500, and $500, all to Stager; the deputy reported that the victim showed him the text message notifications, which showed the amounts and Stager’s name. All of the transactions were denied, but a $500 transaction to Stager went through on October 9.

At about 12:24 a.m. on October 10, Stager was detained and interviewed. Post Miranda, Stager reported admitting to being at the victim’s home on October 5, but he denied stealing her phone. He reportedly admitted that $500 had been deposited to his bank account, and when asked whether he thought the victim’s son was responsible for that transaction, he said no. Stager reportedly denied requests to show the deputy his phone and to search his bedroom for the missing phone.

Stager has been charged with theft from a person over the age of 65, a felony; using the identity of another person without consent; and using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. He has no criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $20,000.

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.