Sheriff’s deputies in Florida gave the occupants of what has been described as a ‘crack haven” an ultimatum on Nov. 8. Deputies from the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office were assisted by deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office when they visited a Keystone Heights residence that neighbors say has become an eyesore and a major source of narcotics activity in the area. Deputies told the occupants of the Southeast 46th Loop home that they had become a nuisance and their behavior would no longer be tolerated by the community or its law enforcement agencies.
Deputies say that they found a significant quantity of illegal drugs and several items of drug paraphernalia inside the home. A 32-year-old woman who police believe owns the property was taken into custody at the scene. A 39-year-old woman was also arrested. Both women face a raft of drug charges including methamphetamine possession, heroin possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Conditions inside the home were described by deputies as filthy and not fit for human habitation. Media reports suggest that law enforcement has been investigating alleged drug activities at the residence for several weeks. The Nov. 8 visit was not the first time that deputies have visited the home. In 2013, the homeowner and six other people were taken into custody when deputies responded to the scene after being tipped off that the property was being used to produce methamphetamine.
When presented with a situation such as this one, experienced criminal defense attorneys may study police reports to determine whether seized drugs were discovered during the execution of a search warrant. When no warrant was issued and police lacked probable cause to act without one, attorneys might seek to have the recovered evidence ruled inadmissible and the charges against any individuals arrested in connection with it dismissed.
