Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Willie Everette Roberts, 46, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for drug trafficking charges and was charged with resisting an officer without violence after he was located hiding in an attic.

At about 4:30 p.m. on August 13, Alachua County Sheriff’s Warrants Investigators responded to a residence in the 1700 block of SW 69th Way after receiving information that Roberts was at the residence. Investigators surveilling the residence reported seeing a man who resembled Roberts going in and out of the residence, but when investigators got out of their vehicles to make the arrest, the man went back inside and closed the door.

The investigators made contact with two women inside the residence who reportedly said they did not know if Roberts was there. While searching the residence, investigators reportedly found a chair under an attic access door and saw fresh insulation on the floor. After receiving no response from multiple commands to come out of the attic, investigators deployed OC gas into the attic to force Roberts out.

The warrant resulted from a traffic stop on Roberts’ bicycle for not having a red rear light; Roberts allegedly abandoned the bicycle and ran, and a search of the abandoned bicycle reportedly produced eight different prescription narcotics, packaged for sale; 13.35 grams of MDPV, over the trafficking amount; 28.63 grams of methamphetamines, double the trafficking amount; apple seed baggies; and a box of 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Roberts is also wanted on a federal warrant from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. The ATF reportedly considers Roberts to be armed and dangerous.

Roberts has 13 felony convictions (two violent) and 16 misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served four state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2022.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail on the warrant charges at $640,000, the amount set by Judge James Colaw in the warrant, and Miller-Jones set bail on the new charge of resisting an officer at $10,000.

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.