WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A Walton County Sheriff’s Office K-9 is credited with helping deputies make two methamphetamine trafficking arrests in less than a week, the agency announced.
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The first incident occurred shortly before midnight on March 10 when a Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputy stopped a white Dodge Ram 1500 on U.S. Highway 331 South near Myrtle Avenue for multiple equipment violations.
K-9 Aries was deployed for a free air sniff and reportedly alerted to the odor of narcotics inside the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle is said to have uncovered a cut straw with methamphetamine residue, a hypodermic needle, and approximately 37.4 grams of methamphetamine.
Joseph Everett Byrd, 58, of Ponce De Leon, was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting without violence.
According to the WCSO, the trafficking charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years.
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The WCSO said Mr Byrd was already out on bond for a prior methamphetamine possession charge from January at the time of his arrest.
He was given a $252,000 bond and remained incarcerated at the time of the agency’s announcement.
A second arrest occurred on March 14 after deputies stopped a golf cart on Kings Lake that was reportedly not street legal.
K-9 Aries was called to assist and is said to have alerted to the presence of narcotics.
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A search of the golf cart reportedly revealed approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine, individually packaged, along with a scale, needles, and a glass pipe.
Christopher Miller, 48, of DeFuniak Springs, was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, delivering paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia to transport drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia for use, failure to register a motor vehicle, and driving while license suspended with knowledge.
He was given a $103,000 bond and remained incarcerated at the time of the agency’s announcement.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office also announced that K-9 Aries is set to compete in the Florida Sheriffs Association’s K-9 March Madness competition, with voting scheduled to begin March 19.
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