Five Unusual Drug and DUI Charges in South Florida/Miami-Dade From 2018
The South Florida, Miami-Dade area is a popular tourist attraction with its balmy temperatures and beautiful backdrops. It also has a reputation as a haven for drug trafficking, given many miles of shoreline available for bringing illegal substances into Florida. In addition, DUI arrests are often commonplace, with numerous nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other outlets serving an abundance of alcohol.
Make no mistake, however—drug charges can bring with them serious criminal consequences, including steep fines and long prison sentences, regardless of the circumstances in which they arose. If you face drug or DUI charges, regardless of how unusual the circumstances, please protect your rights and call Meldon Law today.
Below, we’ll take a look at a few of the more eye-opening drug and/or DUI charges recently made in this area. We’ll start off with someone who people usually wouldn’t suspect of allegedly committing these types of offenses.
#1 – An Unsafe Guard
After receiving an anonymous tip, police were led to believe 43-year-old Jamie Green of Miami was moonlighting as a drug dealer when he wasn’t at his usual job as a security guard for the Felix Varela Senior High School. According to a news report, police witnessed Green selling drugs to a man at a gas station during regular school hours near the campus where he worked.
Officers pulled over the suspect and uncovered a gram of cocaine and a THC cartridge in the center console of his vehicle. Police obtained a search warrant for his home and discovered nearly 80 grams of marijuana and almost 30 grams of cocaine hidden inside the bedroom. Locked inside a safe, authorities say they later logged the following into evidence:
- A digital scale with cocaine residue
- Ninety clear blue baggies
- $1,000 in cash
In addition, more baggies of cocaine were seized along with another $990 in cash found in boxes and cases in the suspect’s bedroom. Investigators said all of the evidence was consistent with street-level narcotics sales. In November 2018, inside a Miami courtroom, Judge Renatha S. Francis read charges that included trafficking in cocaine, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school convenience store.
The School Speaks Out
Investigators were unsure if Green was selling drugs to students at the school and are looking into the matter further. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Public Schools spokeswoman Jackie Calzadilla said in a statement:
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools expects all employees to exhibit the highest level of professional and personal comportment, whether they are in or out of the school environment. Actions by employees who demonstrate a lack of good moral character will be handled swiftly. As such, the District is moving to immediately terminate his employment.”
This brings Jamie Green’s 16-year career working with for the Miami-Dade County Public School system to an abrupt end.
#2 – DUI Stop Turns Into Drug Bust
In July 2018, police pulled over 46-year-old Michael Allen Holt when he was allegedly driving recklessly on the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys. According to a local news report, several drivers called 911 to report a black Mustang GT nearly causing several head-on collisions on this busy roadway.
A Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy later caught up with Holt just south of the Vaca Cut Bridge, and reported the suspect struggling to roll down the window of his car and smelling strongly of marijuana. During a failed field sobriety test, Holt appeared unsteady on his feet and slurred his speech. A search of his vehicle uncovered two ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms, more than three ounces of marijuana, a digital scale, a grinder, and rolling papers.
#3 – Drugs, Guns, And Cash
A pair of Miami-Dade residents found themselves in hot water after police raided a home near Northwest 17th Avenue and 93rd Street in October 2018. Anthony Wiggan and Bernard Bergess, both 21, were taken into custody after authorities executed a search warrant at their residence.
Officers confiscated cocaine, crack, and oxycodone along with firearms and about $1,000 in cash. The pair are charged with drug trafficking—and according to at least one news report, police proudly posted a picture of the stash, guns, and cash they seized on Twitter.
#4 – A Drunken Arsenal
Thirty-two-year-old David Goldammer caught the eyes of Miami Beach police officers at 1:40 a.m. on October 23, 2018, when his truck was spotted blocking an alley on Fourth Street. The engine was running, but the driver was slouched over to the right of the vehicle and a strong odor of alcohol came from inside the pickup once Goldammer rolled down the window. In the center console, cops noticed two bottles of beer, one empty and one partially consumed, alongside “two unholstered black firearms,” according to sources.
In the arrest report, police say they witnessed David almost falling out of his truck and that he refused to perform field sobriety tests. When patting the suspect down, cops found another weapon, a .357 Magnum revolver in his waistband. Arrested and charged with DUI, Goldammer will also face gun charges for carrying weapons in Florida.
#5 – Fast Food Find
During an undercover operation performed by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Department, a couple from Miami Lakes were apprehended during an investigation in October 2018. A news report revealed a confidential informant requested that 31-year-old Elaine Perez and her 26-year-old partner Anthony Perez deliver two ounces of cocaine and 60 oxycodone pills.
A K-9 officer in a patrol car stopped the pair when they failed to stop at a traffic signal on their way to the Vero Beach Inn & Suites to make their delivery. A search of the vehicle revealed the order was filled by the duo when deputies discovered 60 oxycodone pills and two bags of cocaine each weighing slightly more than an ounce inside a previously empty KFC box.
Police charged both with possession of the illegal powder and pills along with drug trafficking. In addition, Elaine Perez was given an added count for possession of marijuana when deputies reported finding almost a half-gram of the substance inside her purse.
Call Our Criminal Defense Attorneys If You Need To Fight Drug Charges
If you need professional, qualified legal representation for criminal drug charges in the South Florida, Miami-Dade, region, please contact Meldon Law online immediately. No matter how unusual the circumstances you find yourself in, we can help. We will listen, treat you with respect, and work diligently toward the best possible outcome for your case. The sooner we get started on your case, the better your chances are for a successful outcome. Give us a call at 800-373-8000 so we can weigh the merits of your case today.
