BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kristopher Le’vone Cooper, 21, was arrested early this morning and charged with possession of a concealed firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony, possession of molly and marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a daycare, prowling, and resisting arrest without violence.
A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer patrolling in an unmarked car near the Woodland Park neighborhood reported that he observed a silver car turning around at 1900 SE 4th Street and then saw a man, later identified as Cooper, getting out of the car. The officer reportedly saw Cooper walking slowly through yards and alongside vehicles, staying in the shadows. Another officer then reported that he saw a man standing by a house at the intersection of SE 4th Street and SE 19th Place. The first officer drove to the area, confirmed that the man was Cooper, and reported that Cooper was standing by the back door of a residence. When Cooper saw the car, he reportedly walked around the back of the residence, out of sight.
The officer reportedly saw Cooper again between two buildings, near a wooded area. The officer called for marked patrol vehicles, and before they arrived, Cooper came out to SE 19th Place and started walking eastbound.
A GPD officer made contact with Cooper and detained him after some delay in his response to commands to stop. The first officer asked Cooper if he had any weapons, and Cooper reportedly said that he didn’t but then changed his story and said he had a gun.
A search reportedly produced a 9mm handgun in Cooper’s waistband, and officers also took a backpack from Cooper. After Cooper reportedly said his ID was in the backpack, officers searched it for his ID and reportedly found a smaller bag containing suspected narcotics and a loaded magazine attached to a drum.
Officers reported that the bag contained 22.59 grams of “mollie” and 53.53 grams of marijuana.
Post Miranda, Cooper reportedly said he was in the neighborhood to visit a girl but asked officers not to contact her. When asked why he was standing near another house, Cooper reportedly said the house belonged to his aunt but then said it was “someone’s sister that I call my aunt.”
Cooper has a juvenile history and also has four felony convictions (one violent) and one violent misdemeanor conviction; he was released from state prison in July 2022 after serving a two-year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, obstructing an investigation, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon or adjudicated delinquent. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $280,000.
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.
