Grand jury indicts 11 defendants

An Alachua County grand jury indicted 11 defendants on multiple charges on Wednesday. 

In an Eighth Judicial Circuit press release, State Attorney Brian Kramer’s office announced the grand jury indictments that include racketeering, first-degree murder, robbery with a firearm, burglary with assault or battery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession with a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a delinquent.

The group of individuals indicted: 

• Anthony M. Bunn (10/15/1991)
• Elton E. Banks Jr. (2/16/2004)
• Javari D. Baptiste (6/19/2004)
• Delonte A. Bing (4/22/2005)
• Montrell C. Carter (1/9/2002)
• Orion M. Davis (4/7/2004)
• Catrell L. Evans Jr. (12/3/2002)
• Quantavis L. Jackson (9/6/2003)
• Tyree D. Johnson (2/14/2004)
• Lorenzo J. Fitzgerald Smith Jr. (1/3/1998)
• Jay’Lene A. Wilson (1/21/2004)

According to the release, the crimes committed by the defendants occurred between April 4, 2017, and May 9, 2022. Law enforcement officials continue to search for Banks while the other 10 men are currently in custody. 

Carter and Jackson were arrested in connection with the Green Apple Liquor Store shooting on Oct. 12 where a woman sustained life-threatening injuries while standing at the intersection of NE 16th Avenue and NE Waldo Road. 

Baptiste is one of three teens arrested in a deadly shooting that occurred at the American Legion building on June 24, 2021, and Johnson shot and killed Kontaya Presley on Jan. 1, 2022, in Gainesville.  

Multiple shootings during the summer of 2021 culminated with the Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones releasing a department plan to combat gun violence after Jones and State Attorney Brian Kramer held a July 20th press conference asking for the community’s help in identifying those responsible.  

Since then, Gainesville Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker held a town hall meeting addressing community alternatives to handle juvenile gun violence and the Gainesville City Commission approved funds for both preventative and policing efforts to curb the violence. 

In the release, the state attorney’s office commended Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chris Weisel for his work and contribution throughout the investigation.