Ma’chir Damarius Miller, 21, a former Residential Unit Specialist at the Tacachale Center in Gainesville, Florida, faces a charge of false imprisonment after investigators alleged he tied a resident’s bedroom door shut with a gait belt to prevent the resident from interfering with medication distribution.
Gait Belt Used to Trap Resident During Med Pass
The investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by the Department of Children and Families, according to findings from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
Inside the Tacachale Center Incident
On December 20, 2025, Miller was working at the state residential facility when a nurse distributing medication in the victim’s building heard a banging noise. Investigators reported that the nurse discovered a gait belt tied between the bedroom doorknob and a handrail, blocking the Medicaid recipient from exiting the room.
When the nurse asked who placed the restraint, Miller acknowledged that he was responsible and untied the door, though he reportedly refused to provide his identification. The nurse noted that the victim did not show any signs of injury or distress.
In a subsequent interview with a Tacachale investigator, Miller admitted to securing the door out of concern that the resident would interfere with medication rounds. He stated that he remained with the resident for about 10 minutes afterward to ensure he was unharmed.
Policy Violations and Resignation
Records provided by Tacachale’s training manager confirmed that Miller had completed instruction on facility policies. According to management, confining a resident to a room falls entirely outside the scope of a Residential Unit Specialist’s training and authority.
Facility records show Miller was placed on administrative leave on December 21, 2025, and resigned two days later on December 23.
Tracking Down the Suspect
State investigators attempting to reach Miller by phone received no response. When they visited his listed address, an elderly resident stated she did not know anyone by his name and that he did not live there. However, investigators photographed vehicle tags in the driveway, linking one of the cars to Miller. During a subsequent visit on a different date, a second woman confirmed Miller lived at the address but was not home.
A sworn complaint was filed on August 12, resulting in an arrest warrant issued the same day. Miller was taken into custody on August 18 and charged with false imprisonment.
Prior Arrests and Upcoming Hearings
Court records indicate Miller was already on pre-trial release in Orange County on separate charges of making a written threat to kill and aggravated assault with a firearm, alongside an active warrant for violating those release conditions.
Judge William Davis set bail at $100,000. Miller’s defense attorney filed a motion seeking release on his own recognizance and stating that he is currently employed as a CNA. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for August 27.
