Hunter
09/29/25
An Iowa City man with a long list of arrests was taken into custody again Friday after allegedly stealing from an unhoused individual.
33-year-old Gregory Echols, whose current address is 501 Southgate, allegedly came upon the victim sleeping outside Shelter House at approximately 2:09pm. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Echols walked up to the victim several times, and eventually took the victim’s phone and headphones. He then fled the scene.
Shelter House staff reportedly recognized Echols and identified him to police.
Echols was arrested and charged with 4th degree Theft and could be sentenced to a year in jail if convicted.
Echols has been charged with several crimes over the past two years, including taking Amazon packages from a residence, several shoplifting incidents, stealing an e-bike from the University of Iowa campus, and assaulting a woman over a backpack. Court records show he was sentenced to 60 days in jail June 27th on a 3rd degree Theft charge from November 2024.