SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A Sumter County jury this week found 33-year-old Rodney Reshad Rose guilty on several felony drug charges following a trial. The convictions include Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Methamphetamine within 1000ft of a Park, and Unlawful Use of a Two-way Communications Device.
The verdict was reached after jurors deliberated for 75 minutes. During the trial, they considered testimony from detectives belonging to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Squad (SIS) and expert testimony provided by analysts from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Jurors also examined physical evidence presented during the proceedings before returning the guilty verdicts.
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Following the reading of the verdict, presiding Judge Mary P. Hatcher ordered Rose to be remanded into custody pending a future sentencing hearing.
“Trafficking dangerous narcotics ruins lives and incites violence in our communities,” commented Walter Forgie, Chief Assistant State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who profit from addiction and poison our neighborhoods.”
The investigation that led to Rose’s arrest began back in April 2023. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Squad identified Rose during an undercover operation focused on street-level narcotics distribution. Evidence suggested Rose was involved in the sale and delivery of significant quantities of methamphetamine within Sumter County.
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As part of the investigation, law enforcement officials conducted a controlled purchase from Rose. During this transaction, Rose provided investigators with a crystalline substance. A subsequent presumptive field test indicated the substance was methamphetamine, with a total packed weight of 29.02 grams. The substance was then submitted to the FDLE Crime Laboratory for official confirmation analysis.
The successful prosecution was attributed to the collaborative efforts of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant State Attorneys Michael Kotsifakis and Elizabeth Hart, who handled the case for the state.
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