Robert Lavon Cray, 43, was sentenced to 15 months in jail after pleading nolo contendere to grand theft. Cray was charged with stealing $1,400 from Keke’s Breakfast Cafe on his first day of work.
In January 2024, a restaurant employee told a Gainesville Police Department officer that Cray was left unsupervised inside the office, which houses the safe, on his first day of work. She stated that she discovered at the end of her shift that the safe was missing $1,400. She stated she checked the business cameras Tuesday morning and observed Cray take money from the safe. She claimed she challenged him when he arrived at work on Tuesday, and he fled when she threatened to contact the cops.
An officer discovered Cray a short distance away. According to Miranda, Cray observed the safe door open and notified the employee it was open because he did not want to be accused of stealing money. He denied removing any money from the safe.
Cray pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of grand theft on April 16, and Judge David Kreider sentenced him to 15 months in prison, with credit for 17 days served.
Before his arrest, Cray had 11 felony convictions (two violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He had spent five state prison sentences for charges in Alachua, Columbia, and Suwannee counties, with the most recent release in June 2022.