A man previously trespassed from a historic city property in Leesburg was arrested after he was found sleeping on a gazebo at the site.

A Leesburg police officer was checking on the Mote Morris House, 1195 W. Magnolia St., on Wednesday afternoon and saw two men laying on the gazebo. There was clothing and trash scattered around, specifically near one of the men, according to the police report.

The first man, who said he was waiting for his ride, willingly and correctly identified himself with a Florida ID card. It was determined he had not previously been trespassed from the location, the report said.

The second man, who had most of the trash around him, appeared to be sleeping on his jacket, which was laid out as a makeshift sleeping pad. He had his shoes and a pile of clothing under his head. The second man refused to give his name and said, “just take me to jail,” several times. When asked if he had been trespassed from the location, the man first said he wasn’t but then said he didn’t know, according to the report.

The man then briefly mentioned a recent interaction he had with officers at Donut King. The officer cross referenced that information with dispatch and was able to get the name of a man whose description matched the man. When asked if that was his name, the man said it was. A driver’s license photo confirmed it was 40-year-old Jerry Louis Manns, whose address is listed as in Kissimmee but who was arrested in July in Leesburg for driving with a suspended/revoked license, the report said.

Manns was placed under arrest and charged with trespass after warning and obstructing without violence. He’s being held in the Lake County Jail on $2,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lake County Court on Sept. 27.

The Mote Morris House was built in 1892 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The building, considered a fine example of Late Victorian architecture, was moved to its current location in September 1990. It was damaged by a fire in 2018 and reopened last year. It is available for tours and private event rentals.