UF Police Arrest Sex Offender for Domestic Violence on Campus
Tuesday morning, University of Florida Police Department (UFPD) officers arrested registered sex offender Michael Arthur Chase, 34, and charged him with misdemeanor domestic battery.
Officer Michael Mayall responded to the bus stop on Center Dr. after the witness called UFPD because the victim loudly called out for someone to contact the police.
Chase told Mayall that he and the victim were arguing on the bus and the argument continued when they got off.
Mayall reported that Chase denied hitting the victim, but video evidence proved he kicked her.
The report details how the victim is physically disabled, but Chase still physically abused her, according to video evidence described in the report.
The Alachua County Jail is holding Chase on a $5,000 bond.
This is not the first time Chase has been charged for domestic violence.
In 2012, Chase was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery after allegedly pushing the victim to the ground and then chasing her. He was charged again later that year for violating the no-contact order, however, both cases were eventually dropped.
In 2024, Chase was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery after shoving the victim. Chase reportedly told police he was high and didn't remember what happened. Chase was later charged with five counts of violating pretrial release conditions and convicted of those charges along with the domestic battery charge. Taking a plea deal, he was sentenced to two years of probation.
Chase is a registered sex offender, with Columbia County convictions for using a computer to solicit or lure a child to engage in sexual conduct (adjudicated guilty in 2019) and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements (adjudicated guilty in 2022). Both convictions netted him a prison sentence of roughly two years.
