UF Neurosurgery Postgraduate Posts Bond in Felony Case, Placed on Administrative Leave
Patrick Alexandre DeSouza, 33, a UF Health Neurosurgery Resident (trainee), has been released on bond in his felony case.
In a comment to GnvInfo, UF Health External Communications Assistant Vice President Greg Harrison stated, "Patrick DeSouza has been placed on administrative leave. He has been trespassed from UF and UF Health properties."
On July 26, Gainesville Police Department officers arrested DeSouza and charged him with battery (misdemeanor) and burglary of an occupied dwelling (felony) after he allegedly walked into a hotel room and attempted to initiate sexual contact with a non-consenting partner.
According to the arrest report, around 5:00 a.m., DeSouza entered a room at the Red Roof Inn to “meet an unknown individual with intimate intent.”
DeSouza told police he was in contact with the individual via the app “Sniffles” which is described as a “map-based social and hookup platform for men.” DeSouza reportedly said that the man "stopped responding once he arrived, so he entered the hotel to attempt to locate the individual.”
DeSouza said he didn’t have any pictures of the man he was meeting but started looking anyway.
DeSouza walked through the hotel until finding room 440, and the door was left open due to another individual (Witness) who stepped out and walked downstairs, the arrest report states.
Despite having no confirmation of the identity of the man he intended to be intimate with, DeSouza seemingly crawled into the bed of the unconscious victim under the notion of him being that man.
The victim said that he woke up to DeSouza touching him on the leg while in the bed with him. The victim told DeSouza in Spanish to get out of the room, the arrest report states. The victim said he had to push DeSouza out of the room to get him to leave. DeSouza was then met by the witness outside of the room before attempting to leave, and he was also confronted by a security guard.
DeSouza reportedly told the security guard he was “there to meet someone but did not identify who or what room they were in.” DeSouza did not answer any more questions and left the scene before being contacted by police.
Upon contact with law enforcement at his house, DeSouza reportedly told police he “entered the room without consent and crawled into the bed of the victim, but based on the reaction of the victim it was not the person he had been in contact with. DeSouza stated he realized his error and then left the room and location.”
Following DeSouza’s arrest, prosecutors issued a notice of intent to file a pretrial detention motion, and he was held on no bond for the burglary charge and had a $10,000 bond set for the battery charge by Judge Meshon Rawls.
Prosecutors later withdrew their intent and Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard set the total bond at $35,000.
DeSouza posted the bond shortly after. He has retained private counsel from Michael Hines Law Firm.
This page will be updated if prosecutors file formal charges to move the case forward.
