Workman Forestry LLC Employee Arrested For Domestic Battery; Released on Bond

Workman Forestry LLC Employee Arrested For Domestic Battery; Released on Bond
Johnny Christopher Cooper. (photo cred. Alachua County Jail)
“At Workman Forestry, LLC, we know that details matter. We use care and knowledge in what we do.” - Workman Forestry.

On September 14 six-year Workman Forestry LLC employee Johnny Christopher Cooper, 34, was arrested for domestic battery. 
 
The victim had a knot above her eyebrow and told police Cooper may have bashed her with a gun. The victim knew Cooper stuck her with something but wasn’t 100% sure if it was a gun.  She said Cooper attacked her because she wouldn’t let him look at her phone.
 
Gainesville Police Department Officer Michael Gilmore arrived at the scene and did not immediately locate Cooper. As Gilmore was investigating, Cooper returned and reportedly told Gilmore that he and the victim “got into a verbal altercation that turned physical over information [he thought] the victim was hiding on her phone.”
 
Cooper blamed alcohol and alleged the victim hit her head on the ground by accident as they were “tussling” over the phone. 
 
Cooper was released on a $10,000 bond. 
 
Cooper wrote on his first appearance order that he’s worked at Workman Forestry for the past six years. 
 
Cooper had a sworn complaint charge filed on him for video voyeurism in October 2014, which he was arrested for in January 2015.

Voyeurism is a form of non-contact sexual violence where the perpetrator gains sexual pleasure by recording someone without their consent. The perpetrator generally takes advantage of the victim’s vulnerable position, whether they are changing or having sex. 


 
“We place safety first." - Workman Forestry. 


 
Cooper was granted a withheld adjudication, meaning he didn’t overtly admit guilt for the crime but also did not claim innocence. This is generally granted on a plea deal where the defendant is given probation or community control. 
 
Judge David Kreisder sentenced Cooper to three years of community control.
 
In March 2018, Cooper was arrested for violating his conditions of release by failing to make court payments, not completing community service, and using intoxicants. He took a plea deal, and his probation was extended by two years. 
 
Cooper’s probation was terminated in April 2020. 
 
If Cooper correctly wrote on his first appearance order that he’s worked at Workman Forestry LLC for six years, that would mean they hired Cooper while he was on probation for a sex offense. 
 

“No job is too big or small, and with a variety of specialized equipment and highly skilled operators, we can get the job done.” - Workman Forestry. 


 
GnvInfo reached out to Workman Forestry owner Tom Workman for a request for comment. He hasn’t responded. 
 
There is currently a picture of Cooper standing with other Workman Forestry employees on their website. The photographer of the picture, John Moran, denied GnvInfo’s request to use the picture, but it can be viewed by clicking on the page below.

Workman Forestry Team
Tom Workman – Owner, M.S. in Forest Ecology University of Florida. Tom has served as a Biologist II with the Florida Park Service; Land Manager with the St Johns River Water Management…

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Jack Walden

Jack Walden

Jack Walden is the creator of Gnvinfo and a 2nd year journalism major at Santa Fe College. From general information, to exposing falsehoods and corruption, Jack seeks to deliver the truth.
Gainesville, FL