Confusions leads to suspect not getting booked into Lee County Jail

Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
A 2019 Lee Count yJail booking photo of Brandon Phoneseng Chaleunsouk. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say a man went to take a loaded gun into a bar after a fight happened inside, but he wasn’t booked into jail afterward.

We reached out to Cape Coral Police Department and Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and it turns out suspect Brandon Chaleunsouk was not considered a danger to the public.

But new information Friday says that might not be the case after all.

Around 1 a.m. Thursday, Chaleunsouk was taken into custody at Dixie Roadhouse for having a gun and never made it to jail.

Cape Coral police cuffed and arrested Chaelunsouk after witnesses say he got into a fight with another person and went to his car to get a gun.

The victim waived down a nearby officer, and a witness directed the officer to the gun.

Chaleunsouk’s arrest report shows the jail denied him because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Chaleunsouk has a history of arrests, including theft, possession of cocaine and cannabis and carrying a concealed firearm, but that case was thrown out.

We asked the sheriff’s office why someone with those previous charges and criminal history wouldn’t land in jail. A spokesperson said, “Had we been made aware of those charges, he would’ve been accepted at the jail.”

Chaleunsouk faces several charges including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and assault. He was given a notice to appear in court.

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