MARION COUNTY, Fla. — In a swift decision, a Marion County jury took just 20 minutes to convict 46-year-old Anthony Earl Crim Jr. of Trafficking in Cocaine and Trafficking in Methamphetamine.
Following the verdict, Judge Timothy T. McCourt sentenced Crim to 30 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, ensuring that one of the area’s most significant drug traffickers is off the streets.
“Once again, a major drug trafficker has been removed from our streets thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners,” said Walter Forgie, Fifth Judicial Circuit Chief Assistant State Attorney. “And with a 30-year sentence, this defendant’s chance at reoffending is slim to none.”
Crim’s conviction stems from a January operation conducted by the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST) and the Ocala Police Department’s SWAT team. Acting on a narcotics search warrant, officials targeted a residence on SW 5th Street in Ocala known for ongoing drug sales. Upon arrival, Crim and another adult occupant were detained. Officers noted that Crim’s hands were wet, a detail later linked to attempts to destroy evidence.
During the search, authorities discovered significant quantities of narcotics throughout the residence, including wet drugs in the kitchen and hallway, as well as additional drugs packaged in bags found in the toilet. A boat on the property also contained trafficking amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine.
READ: Four Orlando-Area Residents Plead Guilty In Major Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy
In addition to drug trafficking, Crim faced charges of Animal Cruelty after authorities found dogs in dire condition on the property. Earlier this year, a jury convicted him of those charges.
Assistant State Attorney Wynn Vickers prosecuted the case.
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