A traffic stop for not having a working tag light turned into a 15-year prison sentence for a Louisiana resident this week.
Casey D. Lanns, 44, of Slaughter, La., was found guilty Aug. 22 of Trafficking in Methamphetamine (28 grams or more). Jurors took less than 15 minutes to return the verdict after Prosecutor Zachary VanDyke presented the case.
Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay sentenced the defendant to 15 years in prison.
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VanDyke called five witnesses – including the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Panama City Beach police officers involved in traffic stop – and presented evidence that Lanns was in possession of about 250 pills containing methamphetamine.
The evidence showed the defendant was driving a Toyota Camry near Pier Park when he was stopped by a Holmes County sheriff’s deputy for having a burned out tag light. The deputy could smell marijuana and a gun was seen under the driver’s seat.
The defendant told law enforcement officers there were pills in the car. A “free air sniff” was performed by PCBPD K-9 Hana, with an indication that drugs were present. Authorities found three medicine bottles inside a black bag in the back seat. Each bottle contained a number of blue, pink and white pills.
The defendant admitted the pills were his. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement analysis showed they contained methamphetamine.
Basford thanked the Holmes County officers and Panama City Beach police for their work and collaborative efforts during Spring Break that resulted in the arrest.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.