Man Gets 18 Months in Prison for 2022 Burglary Case
On October 21, Denver Emmett Cooper III, 45, was sentenced to 18 months in prison following a no contest plea and conviction for burglary, drug possession and larceny.
Facing up to 26 years in prison for the felony case, Cooper took a plea deal that was accepted by Judge David Kreider.
According to the arrest report, on April 6, 2022, the victims were in their bedroom around 9 am when Cooper entered the residence. They heard a noise at the front door and were not expecting visitors. The pair ended up fleeing the house in their underwear after realizing an intruder was inside.
Gainesville Police Department (GPD) K-9 officers responded to the scene and apprehended Cooper with a dog after reportedly giving him multiple warnings. Cooper was transported to the hospital.
The victims stated Cooper was a stranger, and they had never seen him before.
As renters, the victim’s landlord inspected the house after Cooper's arrest. The arrest report states the landlord found a face-down computer in a closet Cooper was hiding inside of. “It was also apparent [Cooper] rearranged several pairs of Vic 1's shoes in a different spare bedroom,” the arrest report states. “There was a plastic garbage bag on the ground by these shoes now, giving rise to suspicion that [Cooper] was preparing to pack several pairs of Vic 1's shoes into this garbage bag."
Cooper was reportedly wearing one of the victim’s red Nike Air Maxes when he was detained.
At the hospital, Cooper told police he was visiting the area and staying in a nearby Airbnb, which is true, and that he just made an honest mistake because the houses look similar; however, GPD Officer Robert Stewart disagreed.
“[Cooper’s] Airbnb house is on the other side of the street from the victim’s residence, and they look nothing alike,” reported Stewart. “[Cooper] did admit to taking 'half a shot of fentanyl' and being 'out of it.'"
Cooper was staying with multiple other guests at the Airbnb, which included his boss. The boss told police that he saw Cooper in the kitchen before the incident, describing him as “out of it,” and stating that he was going to a nearby Wawa. Cooper then walked out of the house and the incident occurred shortly after.
Cooper told police he “froze up” when K-9 officers commanded him to surrender, and they found a small bag of meth on him after a search.
Cooper was released from the Alachua County Jail one month after his arrest after posting a $120,000 bond, court records show.
Court records state Cooper initially did not intend to take a plea deal, as he had scheduled pretrial hearings before petitioning the court, which included jury selection.
Cooper will serve a term of two years community control followed by two years of probation after he is released.
A search of Alachua County court records doesn’t show any further criminal history for Cooper, but documents show he does have several adjudications outside the county.
