Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jamorie Keyon Clark, 20, and Marvin Eugene Cotton, Jr., 30, were arrested overnight and charged with gun and drug crimes after members of Gainesville Police Department’s (GPD) Gun Violence Initiative responded to information about people displaying guns at Sweetwater Square Apartments.

GPD received information that several people were displaying firearms last night outside Building L at Sweetwater Square Apartments (3101 NE 15th Street) and increased patrols in the area. At about 8:40 p.m., officers saw Clark, who matched the description provided by the source of the information, standing on the east side of Building L; Clark reportedly looked at officers approaching from the south, then turned and saw more officers approaching from the east, then dropped a bag and ran through the complex in a southeast direction.

Clark was apprehended after a brief foot chase. A search of the bag reportedly produced a custom-made firearm with an extended magazine and about 10 grams of marijuana. A scale and iPhone were reportedly found on the ground near the bag. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced about 2.4 grams of marijuana in Clark’s pocket.

At about the same time, officers made contact with Cotton, who matched the description of the second person described by the source. Cotton reportedly ran into an apartment and was taken into custody; an officer reported that Cotton had placed a bag on the kitchen counter and that the grip of a handgun could be seen sticking out of the bag.

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A search incident to Cotton’s arrest reportedly produced two prescription marijuana containers, but the report notes that Cotton does not have a medical marijuana card.

Clark has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest without violence. He has a juvenile criminal history and is currently awaiting sentencing on a felony charge in Putnam County. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $170,000.

Cotton has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He has juvenile criminal convictions, four felony convictions in Georgia (one violent), one Florida felony conviction (non-violent), and three Florida misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). He has been in Alachua County for about a month. Judge Miller-Jones set bail at $115,000.

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.