A 22-year-old Jacksonville man is facing a stack of felony and misdemeanor charges after deputies say he threatened to shoot a Davenport convenience store clerk during an argument over an ID check, then returned to the same store more than a week later, where deputies were waiting. Jaylin Latrell Hardin was arrested at the RaceTrac at 45119 US 27 on Thursday evening, nearly nine days after the alleged threat first sent him fleeing from the scene.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the trouble began on August 11, when a RaceTrac employee refused to sell Hardin alcohol because he did not have proper identification. Deputies allege Hardin responded by threatening to shoot the employee with a firearm, then stole a bottled beverage valued at $2.89 and fled the store before deputies arrived.
#ArrestedByThePolkCountySheriffsOffice - 22-year-old Jaylin Latrell Hardin of Jacksonville.
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) August 26, 2026
On Thursday, August 20, 2026 at around 7:15 pm, the PCSO was notified that a wanted man was at the RaceTrac store at 45119 US 27 in Davenport.
The suspect was identified as Jaylin… pic.twitter.com/LlJas48bH5
Hardin did not resurface until around 7:15 p.m. on August 20, when the sheriff's office says it was notified that a wanted man was back at the same RaceTrac location. Deputies tracked down Hardin's black Tesla on nearby Marlowe Avenue and took him into custody. The sheriff's office says Hardin offered physical resistance before he was placed in the patrol car, and he was subsequently taken to the sheriff's processing center for booking.
Charges Range From Felony Assault to Petit Theft
Hardin faces a lengthy list of charges stemming from the encounter, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking, both third-degree felonies, along with misdemeanor counts of improper exhibition of a firearm, resisting without violence, and retail theft. Under Florida Statute § 784.021, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon carries penalties of up to five years in state prison, five years of probation, and a $5,000 fine, according to the Sammis Law Firm.
The aggravated stalking charge, tied to the pattern of repeated incidents at the store, is also a third-degree felony under Florida Statute § 784.048(3), punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, per Arnold Law. The improper exhibition charge, a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statute § 790.10, is often filed alongside or as a lesser offense to aggravated assault, according to Hanlon Law's explanation of the statute.
Deputies also allege Hardin resisted before entering the patrol car, a fact that could support the first-degree misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence under Florida Statute § 843.02. Hussein & Webber, PL notes that a conviction under that statute requires proof the officer was actively performing a lawful duty at the time of the resistance. The retail theft charge, meanwhile, covers the $2.89 drink Hardin is accused of taking before fleeing; under Florida Statute § 812.015, theft of merchandise valued under $100 is petit theft in the second degree, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, per the Brancato Law Firm, P.A.
Why the Clerk Checked ID in the First Place
The confrontation traces back to a routine, legally mandated check. Under Florida Statute § 562.11, selling alcohol to anyone under 21 is a second-degree misdemeanor that can bring up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for the seller, a rule that places a strict legal duty on retail employees to verify identification before completing a sale. Vendors that unlawfully serve minors also risk administrative penalties, including potential liquor license suspensions, the Brancato Law Firm notes.
That legal duty is not abstract at this particular RaceTrac. The Polk County Sheriff's Office previously arrested an 18-year-old clerk at the same 45119 US 27 location in March 2025 for illegally selling beer to a 15-year-old undercover cadet as part of an “Operation Pop-Top” compliance sting, one of several checks the agency runs using cadets from its Cadet 1000 program. The same store also drew deputies in May 2026, when a workplace disturbance call led to the arrest of a 33-year-old commercial truck driver found to have an active out-of-state robbery warrant out of Philadelphia, according to the Tampa Free Press.
Firearm Allegations Could Raise Sentencing Stakes
Because the case involves an alleged firearm threat during a felony offense, Hardin's legal exposure could extend beyond the base statutory penalties. Florida's firearm sentencing framework allows for mandatory minimum prison terms when a firearm is carried or displayed during certain violent felonies, a mechanism known as the state's 10-20-Life law, according to Fort Lauderdale Criminal Lawyer's breakdown of the statute.
The sheriff's office publicized Hardin's arrest using its regular #ArrestedByThePolkCountySheriffsOffice hashtag, a communications approach the agency, under Sheriff Grady Judd, uses across social media to share arrest summaries, mugshots, and suspect descriptions directly with the public. The case adds to a string of recent Polk County arrests Hoodline has covered, including a Dundee warrant standoff and a Lake Wales man's 14-charge arrest earlier this month.
All charges against Hardin remain allegations at this stage, and no additional details about his court proceedings were available. Deputies did not indicate whether any additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
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