Gainesville Man Arrested for Satchel’s Pizza Arson Incident; GPD’s Response Causes Controversy

Legrand Alvarez Tacogdoy, 41, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with arson and property damage.

On December 15, Satchel’s Pizza owner, Satchel Raye, posted a video on Facebook of a suspect walking around his restaurant and reported he set fire to their decorative van.

On the night of December 17, Raye reported on Facebook that a customer told him they saw the suspect at a bar five minutes from the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) headquarters. Raye stated that he called GPD, and they had a 2.5-hour window to apprehend the suspect but did not.

Raye’s Facebook post was viewed by over 1,000 people and received over 350 comments. The afternoon the following day, Raye met with GPD Chief Nelson Moya and Gainesville Fire and Rescue Interim Chief Shawn Hillhouse. Tacogdoy was arrested within four hours of their meeting.

GPD posted a press release about the incident on Facebook. Moya stated, “Whether you’re running a police department or a pizza restaurant, providing good service takes solid, reliable communication.”

GPD thanked Raye for his Facebook post and reported that a “shift transition led to a delay in assigning an investigator to the case.”

Raye made a follow-up Facebook post, stating that Moya admitted to GPD’s mistakes and “explained that he is interested in doing the best job possible regardless of public pressure or social media.”

Tacogdoy’s sworn complaint states multiple people reported him as the suspect after Raye’s Facebook post.

Facebook comments and Tacogdoy‘s sworn complaint indicate he’s been on a downward mental health spiral. Raye acknowledged that Tacogdoy is an individual who needs help but also held that he needed to be off the streets for putting others at risk.

Tacogdoy is facing additional charges for property damage and larceny in another case, and a separate larceny charge in a third case.

Tacogdoy’s bond is set at $50,000.