Haines City Police Department Press Release
Haines City man found asleep on stranger’s porch with loaded shotgun
HAINES CITY, FL – A Haines City man was arrested on five separate charges after he was found
asleep with a loaded altered shotgun on a stranger’s porch Thursday morning.
Gerius Demetric Adams, 26, is being charged with armed burglary of a dwelling, possession of a short barreled shotgun, possession of a weapon with an altered serial number, possession of a firearm by a
felon and possession of ammunition by a felon.
A resident of a rental home arrived home at 8:40 a.m. Thursday and looked through the living room
window to find a man sleeping on a front porch couch and police were called. Adams was covered up
with a blanket taken from a shed on the property.
The people inside the residence do not know Adams nor did they allow him to sleep on the porch. Found
with Adams was a loaded shotgun with a jagged end. The gun was shorter than the 16-inch minimum
required by Florida law. The serial number near the trigger appeared to be filed down and painted over.
Adams is a felon and not permitted to possess a firearm.
Adams told police that he had been drinking alcohol at a local establishment and decided to walk home
about 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Adams said he was drunk and “very tired” and walked onto the
porch and went to sleep.
Adams did not know where he got the blanket. Adams said he knew he was not supposed to have the
gun, but “needed protection”. The investigation is ongoing.
“Guns and alcohol are a bad combination,” Chief Jim Elensky said. “The most important thing here is
that no one, including Mr. Adams, was hurt. Those inside did the right thing by calling us and our
officers responded quickly.”
