MARION COUNTY, Fla. – James E. Brown, 55, and Sammy L. Welcome Sr., 57, were found guilty of multiple drug trafficking charges in a Marion County courtroom last week. The convictions follow a lengthy investigation by the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST).
Brown was convicted of a range of felonies, including conspiracy to traffic heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine; trafficking in methamphetamine and heroin; possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, MDMA, and oxycodone; and maintaining a place for drug trafficking.
Welcome was convicted of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, possession of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and possession of over 20 grams of cannabis.
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The investigation, which spanned late 2019 and early 2020, utilized court-authorized wiretaps to intercept phone calls and text messages. This led to search warrants being executed at multiple locations on January 15, 2020, where authorities seized significant quantities of drugs and paraphernalia.
“These large-scale operations require extensive time and effort to investigate and prosecute,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “The successful outcome of this case, with guilty verdicts secured, highlights our commitment to removing dangerous drug traffickers from our community.”
Brown and Welcome are scheduled to be sentenced on December 30, 2024. The case was a collaborative effort involving UDEST, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Assistant State Attorney Samuel Armstrong.
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