Morriston man arrested on drug/weapon charges after open line 911 call
Photos courtesy of LCSO.
On Friday, July 21, 2023, Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) deputies were dispatched to a residence located on SE 55th Street in Morriston, Florida to investigate an open line 911 call, which means the call was still connected to the 911 line although the operators heard no noises or sounds of distress. Two weeks previously, deputies had responded to the same residence as the result of a domestic violence call, and the suspect - later identified as 34 year-old John H. Chastain of Morriston - had fled from the home prior to the arrival of law enforcement officers, and he had not been apprehended since that time.
Deputies arrived at the residence to find a man - determined to be Chastain - standing on the front porch, who immediately retreated inside the home. A Ford F-150 pickup truck was parked in the driveway, and the driver’s door was open. Plainly visible inside the truck, deputies saw two handguns, cash and drugs. The registered owner of the truck was Chastain, the same person who was the suspect in the previous domestic violence call, and the man seen on the porch, fleeing into the home, matched the description of the domestic violence suspect.
Deputies and Drug Task Force members surrounded the home and called for the suspect to surrender, but he failed to comply with the request. The homeowner gave deputies permission to enter the home to apprehend Chastain. He was located inside the home, hiding inside a closet. He fought deputies as they attempted to place him into handcuffs. He was arrested, charged with felony battery as the result of the previous domestic violence incident. Chastain was found to be in possession of 17.1 grams of fentanyl that was located in one of his pockets.
Due to the contraband being visable inside the truck, the truck was sealed and towed to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office impound yard. A search warrant for the truck was obtained by LCSO Drug Task Force detectives.
On Monday, July 24, Drug Task Force detectives executed the search warrant on the truck. Detectives recovered three guns - one that had been reported stolen in Levy County on March 9, 2023, along with $1,600 in U.S. currency, and the following drugs:
278.7 grams (0.61 pounds) of fentanyl
5 packs of fentanyl 12 micrograms per hour patches
580.1 grams (1.27 pounds) of methamphetamine
57.5 grams of powdered cocaine
20.8 grams of crack cocaine
2.9 grams of MDMD (ecstasy)
26.7 grams of marijuana
an unspecified amount of oxycodone
In the State of Florida, possession of more than 400 grams of methamphetamines is considered a trafficking offense and is punishable, as a capital felony, with a potential life sentence. Possession of fentanyl in excess of 28 grams carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years.
Chastain was additionally charged with: resisting an officer with violence, 2 counts of trafficking in excess of 4 grams of the dangerous drug fentanyl or a fentanyl analogue, battery - a repeat offense, possession of 400 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, trafficking in 28 grams or more but less than 150 kilograms of cocaine or a cocaine mixture, 3 counts of possession of a weapon by a convicted Florida felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted Florida felon, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and grand theft of a firearm. He is being held in the Levy County Detention Bureau, with his bond set at $3,810,000.