A Gainesville man was arrested on Wednesday for two armed robberies in the span of an hour.
Johnny Beaton, 53, attempted to rob a Subway on Southwest 13th Street and successfully robbed the neighboring CVS, according to the arrest report.
At around 11 a.m., Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a report from a Subway employee that Beaton had pulled a gun on him and demanded all the money in the cash register. When the employee didn’t comply, Beaton reportedly fled on an e-bike.
According to the arrest report, another armed robbery was reported at the CVS just a few buildings over at around the same time. Video surveillance showed a man matching Beaton’s description and e-bike at the time of the robbery.
Beaton allegedly held a pregnant CVS employee at gunpoint, according to the arrest report. The employee handed over an unknown amount of money including at least $65. Beaton then escaped on his e-bike.
Police used the security footage to identify a Pedego Electric Bikes logo on Beaton’s e-bike. According to the report, a Pedego employee immediately recognized Beaton, and a search of his driver’s license information revealed his address.
According to the report, Beaton was arrested at his apartment and consented to have his property searched, where officers found the e-bike and clothes he wore during the alleged robberies.
Beaton told police he had a “crack” addiction and needed money but denied owning or threatening anyone with a firearm, according to the arrest report. He said he only told the CVS employee to give him the money, and took between $150 and $200 from CVS.
According to the report, Beaton said he spent the money on crack cocaine before returning home.
He was charged with two felony counts of armed robbery. Beaton was previously convicted of eight felonies including robbery, burglary and grand theft, and multiple misdemeanors.
Contact Kaysheri Haffner at khaffner@alligator.org. Follow her on X @kaysheri_h.
Kaysheri Haffner is a second-year journalism major and the Criminal Justice reporter for the Alligator. When she's not on the clock, she can be found reading a book or working on a creative writing project.
