Life Sentence for Drug Trafficker, Repeat Offender

Posted on July 23, 2026July 23, 2026 by Admin SA

A conviction for Trafficking in Methamphetamine (more than 14 grams) coupled with a lengthy criminal history combined to land Alphanso Frederick Hall a Life sentence Thursday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Hall, 40, of Panama City Beach, was found guilty of the trafficking charge and Unlawful Use of a 2-Way Communication Device June 30. That trafficking charge is a First-Degree Felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

But Prosecutor Frank Sullivan successfully argued to have Hall sentenced as a Habitual Felony Offender based on previous convictions of Trafficking in Cocaine (2007 and 2013), Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle (2007 and 2013) and other charges. Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark agreed, which under Florida law upgraded the maximum punishment to a Life felony.

The defendant most recently served a 54-month prison sentence on drug charges. He was released April 1, 2024. The current Trafficking offense occurred Feb. 18, 2025, less than a year later.

“The defendant has shown no interest in following the law while continuing to deliver drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine onto our streets over the last 20 years,” Sullivan said. “His criminal history shows that when he is released from prison he eventually gets caught poisoning our community again.

“There will be no more chances for Mr. Hall.”

In the latest case, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division had the defendant under surveillance as part of an undercover operation. Sullivan presented witnesses and evidence proving investigators used a confidential informant to set up a controlled drug buy for Feb. 18, 2025.

When investigators arrested the defendant he was in possession of 5 separate baggies of methamphetamine. Each of the baggies held just over 3 grams of meth – often sold as an “8-ball.”

Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its investigation that helped bring the case to a successful conclusion.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

Man Facing Meth Trafficking Trial Enters Plea, Receives 15-year Sentence

Posted on July 23, 2026July 23, 2026 by Admin SA

A Panama City man set to go to trial Thursday for Trafficking in Methamphetamine (more than 28) grams instead entered an open plea Wednesday and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Lajarvis Santez Allen, 40, of Panama City, entered an open plea to the charge, meaning Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay would decide the sentence without an arranged agreement. The charge carries a minimum-mandatory 7 years in prison and up to 30 years.

After hearing from Prosecutor Zachary VanDyke, the defendant, and family members of the defendant, Gay handed down a sentence of 15 years.

“The State would say this isn’t the kind of person we want out on the streets of Florida, and that you sentence him to at least 15 years in the Department of Corrections,” VanDyke said.

VanDyke was prepared to call witnesses and present evidence that Panama City Beach Police Department detectives developed information the defendant was delivering a large amount of methamphetamine to a location on the beach on Feb. 15, 2024.

The defendant was under surveillance and was detained after pulling into a driveway in the area where the transaction was supposed to occur. Detectives said the defendant was moving “furtively” and appeared to be concealing an item in his pants while still in the car.

A drug-detecting K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, which was searched without success. But the defendant was found to have about 2 ounces of methamphetamine hidden in his boxer shorts.

Basford thanked the Panama City Beach Police Department for its pre-emptive work that kept the methamphetamine from reaching the streets.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

Man Snared in Undercover Drug Deal Guilty of Trafficking in Meth

Posted on July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by Admin SA

A jury needed less than 30 minutes Tuesday to find a man guilty of Trafficking in Methamphetamine (more than 14 grams but less than 28 grams) after he was found with 5 baggies of meth in a beach bar, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Alphanso Frederick Hall Jr., 40, of Panama City Beach, was found guilty as charged of the trafficking offense and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device. Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark set sentencing for July 23 at 1 p.m. The trafficking charge is a First-Degree Felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a minimum-mandatory 3 years.

Prosecutor Frank Sullivan called 3 witnesses – two of them who were with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division – to prove the defendant was in possession of 5 separate baggies of methamphetamine when he was arrested inside a beach bar. Each of the baggies held just over 3 grams of meth – often sold as an “8-ball.”

“The Bay County Sheriff’s Office did a good job of identifying this defendant as an alleged dealer of various drugs and using a confidential informant to set up a buy,” Sullivan said. “When the defendant was identified and detained inside the bar he was found to be carrying the 5 bags of meth.

“Methamphetamine continues destroy lives and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those traffickers arrested by our law enforcement partners to keep the community safe.”

Former Sheriff’s Office SID Cpl. Phillip Hill said an informant reached out to them in February 2025, about the defendant. A controlled drug buy was set up for Feb. 18, 2025, outside a beach bar. A controlled buy means everything was monitored: the confidential informant was searched, eye contact was maintained during the sale, and marked money was used for the purchase.

Investigators watching the defendant entered the bar and ended up on the floor with him as they attempted to handcuff him. Bodycam showed investigators finding the baggies of meth and pulling them out of the defendant’s pocket.

Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its investigation that helped bring the case to a successful conclusion.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.