Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kendrick J. Hills, Jr., 22, of Williston, was arrested last night and charged with eight felonies after deputies allegedly found two guns and 352 grams of marijuana in his vehicle after a traffic stop.

At about 9:25 p.m. on March 12, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 400 block of NW 75th Street for failing to stop at a stop sign, a suspected window tint violation, and impeding the flow of traffic by driving below the speed limit.

The deputy reported smelling green, unburnt marijuana when standing near Hills, and Hills reportedly said he did not have a medical marijuana card.

An ASO K-9 team was deployed around the exterior of the vehicle, and the K-9 provided an alert, giving deputies probable cause to search the vehicle.

Click here to watch ASO’s video of the arrest.

The search reportedly produced a stolen Glock 19 on the floorboard that was within reach of the driver and not in a holster; a Glock 23 with an extended magazine under the driver’s seat, also not in a holster; about 352 grams of marijuana, packaged into 13 separate bags; other bags that contained marijuana “shake”; a digital scale; and empty zipper bags.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced two pills in Hills’s pocket, which he reportedly identified as Percocet but had no prescription, and about $8,000 in cash.

Post Miranda, Hills reportedly admitted possessing both firearms and said the marijuana, Percocet, cash, and other items were his.

Hills has been charged with two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, three counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, grand theft of a firearm, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hills has a juvenile criminal history between 2015 and 2021 but no adult convictions. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $272,500.

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.