Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lionel Lamont Reed, 39, was arrested on Monday after allegedly prying open an ATM at Vystar Credit Union and sitting inside it while tampering with it.

At about 2:33 a.m. on October 21, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to Vystar Credit Union (3616 SW 34th Street) and reported that the ATM was open and Reed was sitting inside, wearing gloves and concealing his face with a shirt. The officer reported that Reed was “actively tampering” with the ATM while sitting inside it and a crowbar was found where he had been sitting.

An employee of the credit union’s security company reported the incident, and the employee said he saw Reed inside the ATM and it looked like Reed was tampering with it. The employee also reported that Reed had arrived at the credit union on foot and had used a crowbar to pry open the ATM.

The damage was estimated at over $1,000.

Post Miranda, Reed reportedly said he was on drugs and could not remember what happened.

The officer reported that two other ATMs were damaged on October 19 by someone trying to break into them, and Reed is now a suspect in those cases.

Reed was previously arrested in August 2023 for stealing $17,000 in equipment from an office in Crown Pointe. He entered a plea of nolo contendere to three felonies and two misdemeanors, and Judge David Kreider sentenced him to 364 days in jail on each of the felonies with credit for 359 days served; all the sentences were served concurrently, so he was released a few days later.

Reed has three felony convictions (none violent) and 10 misdemeanor convictions (none violent). Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $60,000 but noted that he could be released to Court Services to participate in Mental Health Court if he is accepted.

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.