Let Us Congratulate These Florida Cops for Keeping 11 Pounds of Weed Off the Streets
Well done, officers.
Roughly 100 pounds of cannabis mysteriously washed up on the shores of several Florida beaches last week. One Florida beach-comber who stumbled on a package of pot is now facing felony charges and enduring the righteous glee of a local sheriff's office.
While visiting Jungle Hut Park in Flagler County on Thursday, Robert Kelley and others came across a package of cannabis and put it in his car. Unbeknownst to Kelley, an onlooker had already contacted the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) to describe Kelley and his loot.
When authorities arrived, Kelley claimed he was waiting for them to arrive to turn it over. When asked why he didn't call authorities, he said he was unsure of whether or not they would arrive.
The interaction ended with Kelley being arrested and charged with felony possession of over 20 grams.
A Facebook post from FCSO about the arrest accused Kelley of stealing, even though he was not charged with such according to their very own arrest report. After sharing the picture of another suspect in another post, some users wondered if the accusation of stealing was accurate, considering the owners of the package had not yet come forward.
FCSO's praise for the arrest did not end on Facebook. Sheriff Rick Staly also released a statement with a snarky warning to anyone daring a "trip to the Green Roof Inn."
"This is another great example of 'See Something, Say Something,'" Staly wrote. "This guy tried to take advantage of a situation and it completely back fired on him. Now, thanks to the joint effort of our citizen's watchful eyes and good police work these narcotics are off the streets. To anyone thinking they can take advantage of marijuana washing up on shore I have a warning for you. Is it worth a trip to the Green Roof Inn charged with a felony just for some 'free' weed?"
Thanks to the "joint effort of…citizen's watchful eyes and good police work," a man who only briefly held onto a substance that is currently legal in nine states and Washington, D.C., has been charged with a felony, which could result in five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Flagler County residents, meanwhile, can sleep soundly this week knowing that a hardened beach-comber is off the streets.