K9 Coral helps find large amount of drugs in separate cases
The Sheriff’s Office new K9, Coral, is off to a stellar career as she helped find trafficking amounts of cocaine and heroin in separate traffic stops on Monday.
- In the first case: A 32-year-old Big Pine Key motorist was stopped at approximately 2:12 p.m. at 74thStreet in Marathon for a window tint violation. The driver, identified as Jerome Durham, did not have vehicle registration. K9 Coral was called to the scene and she alerted to the presence of narcotics in the Dodge sport utility vehicle. Approximately 4.1 ounces of cocaine was found in the vehicle. Durham was charged with cocaine trafficking. He was also cited for illegal window tint.
- In the second case: A 54-year-old Big Pine Key man was stopped in a Chevrolet pickup truck on U.S. 1 near 58thStreet in Marathon at approximately 3:46 p.m. The pickup truck was impeding left lane traffic. There were multiple people in the vehicle. The front passenger, identified as James Leroy White, exited the pickup truck as K9 Coral arrived on scene. White attempted to throw a bag into a nearby storm drain. White was detained as he attempted to flee. The bag contained slightly more than one ounce of heroin. A small amount of marijuana, about .7 grams, were found inside the truck. White claimed ownership of the drugs. White was charged with heroin trafficking, tampering with evidence, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. White was out of jail on a $45,000 bail stemming from his on Oct. 15, 2020 arrest last week in which he fled from a traffic stop and jumped into a canal on Little Torch Key. White was released from Florida prison on Sept. 22, 2019 after serving two years for drug-related charges.
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