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Report by Staff
ALACHUA, Fla. – An 18-year-old Gainesville resident, Dealijah Depatrick Seay, found himself under arrest for charges related to drugs and firearms following a traffic stop in Alachua.
The incident unfolded on February 1, at approximately 4:21 p.m., when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle for speeding at 65 mph in a 45 mph zone. Additionally, the car’s license plate was not registered to that vehicle, and the officer suspected the window tint exceeded legal limits, a suspicion later confirmed.
Seay, who was driving, pulled over on U.S. Highway 441 near Northwest 129th Terrace. He reportedly admitted to the trooper that he was actually driving 60 mph in the 45 mph zone. The officer detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the car.
After asking Seay to exit the vehicle, the trooper reported that Seay voluntarily revealed he had a handgun and a small amount of marijuana, approximately “8 grams,” inside the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle based on these statements reportedly produced a bag of about 21 grams of marijuana, a “grinder,” and a loaded 9mm pistol with three loaded magazines and a box of 9mm bullets.
The pistol was reported stolen in Gainesville in 2025.
Post Miranda, Seay reportedly said the marijuana and the pistol were his. He said he had no idea the pistol was stolen and that he had bought it from a co-worker for $320 in December 2025; he said his co-worker told him the gun was not stolen.
Seay has been charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a stolen firearm, purchase of a firearm by an individual under 21 years of age, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia, and having a tag attached to his vehicle that was not assigned to the vehicle. He has no criminal history, and Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $49,000 but ordered that he could be screened for day reporting and released if accepted; she also set a curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., except for work and school purposes.
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.