Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Samuel Patrick Reynolds, Jr., 22, was arrested yesterday and charged with grand theft after allegedly stealing over $3,000 in items from a man who gave him a place to stay. He was also arrested on a warrant for burglary and theft, a warrant for failing to appear at a hearing in a domestic violence case, and a warrant for violating probation in another domestic violence case.

Reynolds reportedly befriended the victim and requested a temporary place to stay, so the victim let him stay at his home. The victim accused Reynolds of stealing medications between June 25 and June 28, so Reynolds packed up and left the house. The same day, the victim reportedly discovered that $3,638 in items that had been stored in the closet of the bedroom used by Reynolds were missing, including a Nintendo Switch, headphones, 15 video games, some cash, and a large amount of clothing.

On June 28, Reynolds allegedly sent the victim a text message regarding the Nintendo Switch console, stating that he “might of accidentally packed the game” and that he could return it. A mutual friend reportedly met with Reynolds at a hotel, recovered the Switch and the headphones, and returned them to the victim.

A Gainesville Police Department officer spoke with Reynolds over the phone yesterday, and Reynolds reportedly denied having any more property belonging to the victim. When the officer mentioned Reynolds’ outstanding warrants, Reynolds reportedly said he might turn himself in. Reynolds was arrested at Crunch Fitness later in the day.

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Reynolds was sentenced to 12 months of probation in September 2022 after entering a plea to a domestic battery charge; a warrant for his arrest was issued in October after he reportedly violated his probation by getting arrested for domestic battery. In spite of the fact that he was on probation for the same offense, Judge Gloria Walker released him on his own recognizance after the arrest. A warrant was issued for failure to appear at a hearing in that case when he missed a December 7 hearing; bail in that case is set at $2,000.

A sworn complaint was filed against Reynolds in May 2023 for allegedly stealing and using credit cards from a patient at a rehab hospital while he was visiting a family member at the same hospital. Bail on that warrant is set at $155,000.

Another sworn complaint alleges that Reynolds borrowed a friend’s phone, then sent himself $500 via Venmo from the friend’s account to his own personal account. A warrant has not yet been issued in that case.

Bail information on the new charges is unavailable because today is a holiday.

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.