Florida Man Faces a Raft of Drug Charges After Search

Police in Florida say that a 52-year-old Palatka man who was taken into custody on Sept. 9 was manufacturing and selling methamphetamine out of his Gaskin Road residence. The man is also accused of dealing cocaine and opioids. The charges came after members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office served him with a search warrant that they say was obtained following a three month investigation into his activities. A 39-year-old woman was also taken into custody. She is charged with possessing cocaine and violating the terms of a prior probation order.

Members of the PCSO Special Operations Group were joined by officers from the Rifle Security and SWAT teams as the operation got underway. Reports indicate that not all of the information gathered during the narcotics investigation was correct. Metal detectors were brought in because police had been told that the proceeds from drug transactions had been buried in the Gaskin Road property’s yard, but these efforts failed to uncover any money or other evidence. However, police say that they did find cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription narcotics worth about $4,500 in the residence.

Police say that they also recovered several items used in the production of methamphetamine as well as a device used to cook the drug. A bond of $40,000 was set for the man taken into custody, and reports indicate that he was transported to the Putnam County Jail following his arraignment. The woman was ordered held without bond due to her alleged probation violation.

Items recovered during the execution of a search warrant are often the most compelling pieces of evidence in drug cases, but criminal defense attorneys may seek to have these items ruled inadmissible in some situations. The wording of search warrants sometimes limits where police can look and restricts the type of evidence that they can recover, and defense attorneys may seek to have drug charges dismissed when police officers have strayed beyond these strict boundaries.