Bank of America Employee Arrested for Domestic Violence
On Wednesday, police officers charged Taft McClay Jasper, 49, for the third time this decade on counts stemming from violence against women.
Jasper’s pretrial investigative summary notes that he has been employed at Bank of America for one year and has a history of violence, citing a dropped 2024 domestic battery case against the same victim.
2020 Allegations
Back in 2020, Jasper was arrested for misdemeanor assault. The police report states the victim yelled something towards Jasper, and he responded by walking towards her with his hand in a fist while looking mad.
The victim and a witness both said Jasper was standing extremely close to the victim while standing in a menacing posture and yelling.
Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Sgt. Brad Litchfield made contact with Jasper at his place of employment. Jasper reportedly blamed the victim and her son, accusing them of trying to provoke him to physically fight the victim’s son. Jasper claimed he “refused” and “told the victim to leave.”
Based on court records, it does not appear Jasper was arrested for this incident, and formal charges were never filed.
2024 Allegations
Jasper was arrested for domestic violence in 2024, but the State Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute. Although the case was expunged, records have been retained.
Jasper allegedly returned home drunk and busted the victim’s lip before shoving her to the ground, leaving visible injuries. A witness reported hearing the attack.
Jasper claimed that he “did not touch” the victim. GPD Officer Jesse Bostick reported seeing dry blood on Jasper’s hands.
Recent Arrest
On Wednesday, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jasper on charges of aggravated assault, felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery.
Deputy Victoria Trent became aware the victim was at the emergency room and made contact with her there.
The victim said she was trying to talk to Jasper about a misunderstanding, and he became angry, grabbing her by the ankles and pulling her. Jasper began strangling the victim and twisted her wrists.
At some point Jasper left the room, and the victim followed him into another room where he reportedly pointed a silver semi-automatic handgun at her.
The victim had visible injuries on her neck and wrists, in addition to a large contusion on her face and a large bruise on her elbow.
After being read his Miranda rights, Jasper “acknowledged that he was in a verbal argument but denied any physical altercation occurred,” the arrest report states.
Police found a firearm that matched the description provided by the victim inside Jasper’s vehicle.
As of now, Jasper remains in the Alachua County Jail with no bond pending a pretrial detention by the State Attorney’s Office. He has submitted a not guilty plea and retained legal counsel from Yvens Pierre-Antoine, a criminal defense attorney and former candidate for state attorney of the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
