Man charged with trafficking methamphetamine during Hurricane Idalia
Photo courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On Wednesday, August 30, 2023, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) arrested 52 year-old Richard Garrett, Jr., of Lecanto, Florida, as the result of a phone call that reported a suspicious bag - containing what apeared to be narcotics and drug paraphernalia - that had been turned in to an employee of a business located at Springs Plaza in the 3900 block of S. Suncoast Blvd. in Homosassa, Florida.
Deputies searched the bag, which contained numerous bags and pouches that held approximately 65.2 grams of methamphetamine, a black digital scale with methamphetamine residue, and a glass pipe, along with a green, zippered Barnett Bank pouch that contained 90 small, empty, clear plastic bags.
A review of the business's security video showed Garrett approaching the store on his bicycle, with a blue book bag on his back, which he placed in a shopping cart that was in his sole possession throughout his time in the store, until he handed it to the store's employee, claiming he had found the bag.
Later that night, Garrett returned to the business to retrieve the bag, and he was taken into custody by CCSO deputies, charged with one count of trafficking in methamphetamine, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, with his bond set at $51,000. He was incarcerated at the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, Florida.
"CCSO is dedicated to serving and protecting the citizens of Citrus County, even during a major hurricane. I am proud of my team for starting and finishing this investigation in a matter of hours, helping rid our streets of this deadly narcotic," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again - illicit narcotics are not welcome in Citrus County. Dealers like Garrett have no regard for the law or the well-being of others, and I will not stand idly by while they peddle their poison in our community."