Large meth haul seized near Wewa
On Oct. 14, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office assisted the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force with the apprehension of two individuals found in possession of 107 grams of methamphetamine in a camper near Wewahitchka.
Terry Lamar Mize, 58, was first wanted for violation of his federal probation. But at the time of his arrest, methamphetamine was observed in plain view of law enforcement, who then applied for and obtained a search warrant for the camper.
“We suspected there might be (drugs) there,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “We had reason to suspect given his history, the history of this all, that there would be some type of illegal items in there, and that proved to be the case.”
The search of the camper yielded approximately 107 grams of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, prescription pills, less than 20 grams of marijuana, a loaded handgun, scales, and drug paraphernalia, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Harrison said the meth, found in block form, had yet to be divided into smaller quantities for distribution, signaling it was closer to its original source.
“The bigger the piece is, the closer it usually is to the actual source that’s manufacturing it,” he said. “Typically as it comes down, it gets broken down and divided up for distribution along the way.”
Mize, and Paula Suzanne Aull, 55, who was also present when authorities arrived, were booked into the Gulf County Detention Facility.
In addition to violating parole, Mize was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of crack cocaine, possession of new legend drug without prescription, four counts of possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, among other charges.
Aull faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
“Meth continues to be the problem that plagues our county,” Harrison said. “One at a time is how we have to go after them, and two of them are off the street right now because of the good work of everybody associated with the case.”
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.