Chianti Siante Gipson, 26, of St. Petersburg is shown in a law enforcement arrest photo taken on Friday, September 14. Out on bond, she is charged with one misdemeanor and two felonies relating to possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated assault and possession of a gun within 1,000 feet of a school.With the help of a suspect’s neighbors and video surveillance systems on nearby homes, on Friday, September 14, Gulfport police arrested a woman on three charges including threatening her apartment building’s landscaper with a handgun.
“This case is noteworthy because key evidence was provided [by] the crime watch group,” said Gulfport Police Chief Rob Vincent in a Facebook post on September 14. “Without this information, we would not have been able to make a case.”
Gulfport Police Officers Arion Nieves and Santo Nicita made the arrest.
According to police reports and court records, police officers obtained a probable cause arrest warrant for Chianti Ciara Gipson, 26, of 5508 11th Ave. S., on Wednesday, September 12 for aggravated assault.
On that morning, Gipson and Frank Gilliam, her apartment building’s landscaper, argued for about 10 minutes.
Gilliam told police that Gipson asked him to cut some bushes. According to the police report, he said he told her that he is not paid to do that kind of work and at that point, she became irate.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., Gipson went into her apartment to get a gun. Next, she pointed the black revolver at Gilliam and created “a well-founded fear” in him “not having the intent to kill,” according to the arrest affidavit filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court.
Afterward, she drove away in a rental car.
For the next two days, police conducted surveillance on the property and on September 14, at shortly after 2 p.m., they arrested Gipson.
Inside the rental vehicle, police found marijuana, two small silver scales and numerous small clear plastic bags. Officers then returned the car to the rental company, as it was 10 days overdue.
Gipson is charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia along with two third-degree felonies for aggravated assault and possession of a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school. Her apartment is located across the street from Boca Ciega High School.
At 9:27 p.m. on September 14, Gipson posted a total bond of $10,150.
