A Florida man suspected of being a squatter was arrested after a homeowner reported returning from a seven-month trip to New Zealand to find his home broken into and trashed.
A Marion County Sheriff’s Office affidavit report states that Ze’Moye Brown was apprehended by deputies on Friday after an unidentified homeowner in Ocala tried to dissuade Brown from committing more crimes by firing a pistol at him. The sheriff’s office was the source for the file in question.
The homeowner called the police to say that he had returned from a trip to find his home in disarray and several items missing. He reported the incident to the police.
The homeowner allegedly shouted at Brown to leave the property, and Brown and the homeowner argued about who owned the residence. According to the affidavit, the house owner fired a bullet at the entrance with a pistol, attempting to force Brown to leave the house.
After Brown exited the residence, he called the police to report that he had been shot. As written by Fox 35, Brown also claimed ownership of the property he had been squatting in.
Finally, police were able to track Brown down, and he was arrested on many counts, including trespassing, marijuana possession, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (a crime). Finally, Brown was arrested and charged with every one of these crimes.
Authorities said they found a rock-like item that tested positive for methamphetamine and a baggie containing marijuana upon Brown’s arrest. These two goods were found to have narcotics during analysis.
Brown told the police after his arrest that he had been living at the house for “a few months” and was the only other person living there. He said the property had been empty for three years, and the doors and windows had been unsecured when he arrived.
Brown’s bail has been set at $4,000.
