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Compiled by Staff
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In an unexpected twist, 26-year-old Anterio Jaquez Sheppard found himself behind bars for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after he reported the weapon stolen and openly admitted to an officer that he regularly carried it and had customized it to suit his needs.
According to the Gainesville Police Department, around 1:50 a.m. on December 26, 2025, Sheppard approached an officer on West University Avenue, claiming that someone had struck him in the abdomen and made off with his gun. He subsequently provided a sworn written statement, asserting that the weapon was tucked into his waistband when it was taken during the altercation.
Sheppard detailed to the officer that he frequently carried this firearm, which featured a custom grip and an extended magazine. He mentioned these modifications were made after receiving the gun as a gift from his girlfriend. He also noted that he usually carried the firearm with a full magazine of 22 rounds, plus one in the chamber, making a total of 23 rounds ready to fire. On this occasion, the gun was in his waistband because he had forgotten his holster at home.
A witness corroborated Sheppard’s account, stating he had seen the gun in Sheppard’s waistband prior to the robbery. Additionally, surveillance footage from the scene appeared to confirm Sheppard’s story, showing an object in his waistband that matched his description of the firearm’s location.
The officer filed a sworn complaint following the incident, and on January 30, a warrant for Sheppard’s arrest was issued by Judge Robert Groeb.
Sheppard has a felony conviction for burglary from a 2018 incident and is not allowed to possess firearms. He has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $100,000.
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.