A defendant found guilty of trafficking in more than 200 grams of Methamphetamine was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Reggie Gathers, 40, will also have to pay a $250,000 fine as part of the sentence handed down Tuesday by Circuit Court Judge Dedee Costello.
Prosecutor Peter Overstreet presented evidence at trial Oct. 28 that the defendant was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation on Oct. 5, 2018, by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The driver had a revoked driver’s license and BCSO Sgt. Raymond Scott said there was the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The State, through Sgt. Scott, also introduced a video from a convenience store that captured the driver and Gathers attempting to conceal the methamphetamine.
Deputies searched the vehicle and found the defendant in possession of more than 200 grams of methamphetamine.
Prosecutor Overstreet called Scott from the Special Investigative Division of the BCSO and a chemist from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to testify.
A jury deliberated for only 5 minutes before returning the guilty verdict.
For additional information contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov or (850) 381-7454.