February 25, 2010
Marijuana Grow House Being Run By Ex-Con In The Bathroom At His Mom’s House
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Acting on an informant’s tip, Charlotte County sheriff’s uncovered 42 marijuana plants growing in the bathroom closet at a Punta Gorda home. Deputies have arrested an ex-con named Allen Milton Hardman on charges of cultivation, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges. He is being held in Charlotte County Jail without bail.
According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune Hardman had been living in his mother’s home since his release from prison in August. His mother has told deputies that her son began cultivating marijuana plants less than a month ago. The search of the Dixie Avenue home turned up the plants and more than 20 grams of pot.…
February 23, 2010
Oxycodone Sale Behind The DEA’s Arrest Of A Port Richey Cop
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Yesterday news came out a Port Richey police officer was arrested by the DEA. Today details surrounding the arrest of James Ruland are starting to emerge. According to TBO.com Ruland was arrested for planning to sell oxycodone pills to a DEA informant. He is now in a Pinellas County Jail on charges of drug distribution.
Ruland was a sergeant with the Port Richey Police when he began meeting with a confidential informant to discuss selling the oxycodone pills. The two met three times this year and all three of those meetings were taped by the DEA informant. The two were scheduled to meet in Spring Hill where Ruland was scheduled to accept a $5,000 down payment for the drugs.…
February 22, 2010
Pinellas County Police Officer Involved In Drug Investigation Is Arrested By DEA
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
On Friday, Port Richey police officer James Ruland was arrested. On Monday a little more information was released about the reasons why. According to TampaBay.com Ruland is involved in a criminal investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Agency
. He is in a Pinellas County jail on unspecified charges.
The Port Richey police officer is being held by the U.S. Marshals and he has already been fired by the police department. There was no information released on the type of drug crime Ruland is being investigated for, but the Port Richey police department is said to be working with the DEA on the investigation.…
February 19, 2010
Prescription Fraud Sting In Pinellas County Ends 10-Month Run With Just 20 Arrests So Far
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Prescription fraud has gradually became the focus of Florida Law Enforcement over cocaine and marijuana as of late according to a story in the St. Pete Times. A recent 10-month drug investigation involving prescription drug fraud in Pinellas County resulted in impressive numbers. “Operation Pill Poppers” wound up with 150 counts of doctor shopping, 55,000 pills worth three-quarters of a million dollars and 74 suspects. The problem, as of yesterday there were only 20 arrests made.
The prescription drug crimes division for Pinellas County has doubled in size in hopes of battling the growing problem of prescription drug fraud. With no statewide prescription computer system, doctor shopping and prescription fraud is a growing problem in Florida.…
February 18, 2010
UCF Student Arrested In Orlando For Trafficking In Ecstasy And Marijuana
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
A 21-year-old University of Central Florida student allegedly has admitted to trafficking in marijuana and Ecstasy following an arrest at his off-campus apartment. According to the Orlando Sentinel Darek Dziamalek told investigators he sells Ecstasy and that he was trafficking in illegal drugs following a search of his Pegasus Landing apartment.
Dziamalek apparently signed a consent form to allow police to search his apartment. Once inside police report seeing (“in plain view ”) drug paraphernalia and marijuana. They later discovered a bottle of Ecstasy with 66 tablets inside and a small bag filled with crushed Ecstasy. According to the story this is the first arrest for Dziamalek.…
February 16, 2010
Plant City Couple In Jail For Running Meth Lab Out Of Their Home Where Three Children Live
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
A couple living in Plant City have been arrested and booked into Hillsborough County jail on charges of possession of marijuana , possession of methamphetamine, child neglect, manufacturing of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to TampaBay.com the pair manufactured meth in their home where their three young children also lived. Deputies searched the home acting on a tip.
Matthew and Beth Cantin were arrested Monday evening as deputies report they found items in the couple’s garbage that are used to make meth and they also report finding a small amount of pot at the home as well. The Cantin’s three children range in ages from 6 to 9 according to the story.…
February 15, 2010
Hillsborough Man Jailed After Punching And Kicking Officers And Possession Of Meth
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
A Plant City man is in jail in Hillsborough County following an incident where he punched and kicked officers after they responded to a call at his Evers St. home. Michael Lewis Sester was arrested on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence. He also caught with methamphetamine and has a drug possession charge as well.
Officers arrived at Sester’s home Sunday night after they were alerted to Sester acting combative. Once on the scene officers found the 26-year-old standing in a bathroom. He refused to comply with the their requests. He was taken down and broke free by kicking and then punched an officer once he made it to his feet.…
February 15, 2010
Pinellas County Law Enforcement Set To Arrest 40 People For Prescription Pill Trafficking
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
If you are trafficking in prescription drugs in St. Petersburg or anywhere in Pinellas County you better beware. Law enforcement officials have arrest warrants in hand for 40 Pinellas County residents and they are planning on executing those warrants today according to Bradenton.com. They are also obtaining arrest warrants for numerous people living outside of Pinellas County.
The Pinellas County Drug Task force was created to combat prescription drug fraud and today will bring to a culmination a 10-month investigation into prescription pill trafficking . Detectives say that 55,000 pills with a street value of $750,000 were obtained fraudulently. Among the illegal prescriptions were oxycodone and Xanax.…
February 12, 2010
Homestead Man Arrested On Cultivation Charges After Police Discover Marijuana Grow House
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Police were acting on a tip when they went to the Brooksville home of Joel Cabrera. When Sheriff’s arrived in Homestead on Noddy Tern Road they saw a moving truck that with equipment used while operating a marijuana grow house . Deputies then went inside the house and into a shed on the 36-year-old’s property and found more grow house equipment leading to Cabrera’s arrest on charges of cultivation .
Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies discovered fans, air handlers, grow lights, carbon filters and air conditioning units in the man’s home, shed and truck. According to TampaBay.com, there was no mention of the sheriff’s deputies finding any actual drugs on the premises.…
February 10, 2010
Tampa Man Arrested For Armed Cocaine Trafficking, Possession Of Marijuana And Gun Charges
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Tampa man Joseph Barton was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana , armed trafficking in cocaine , being a felon in possession of a gun and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges come after sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at his Tampa home. He is currently being held in Hillsborough County jail without bail.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, sheriff’s deputies found 28 grams of marijuana, a loaded gun, 60 grams of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the man’s home on 129th Avenue. Sheriff’s deputies claim Barton is a habitual felon. The drugs found in his Tampa home are said to be valued at $2,500.…
