FORT PIERCE — Five men caught snipping “buds” off pot plants in a Port St. Lucie house in May 2008 face up to 11 years in prison after being convicted Friday of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After a four-day trial at the St. Lucie County Courthouse, a jury deliberated about four hours Thursday evening and Friday morning before reaching guilty verdicts for Reinaldo R. Ramos, 35, of Hialeah, and Jose V. Alvarez-Hernandez, 55, Luis O. Leal, 33, Manuel Gonzalez, 35, and Jose Antonio Blain, 42, all of Miami.
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Esther A. Guzman, a scientist at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, has received a $375,000 grant for a three-year project to find marine organisms that might help prevent pancreatic cancer.

The 36-year-old Guzman grew up in Mexico City and earned a doctorate in immunology from the University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2004. She joined the drug discovery program at Harbor Branch, a division of Florida Atlantic University, the following year. (more…)

STUART — An alleged crack dealer’s plan to allow a client to buy him shoes in exchange for drugs was stopped short by Stuart police Friday, according to an affidavit released Monday.

Michael Deshawn Harris, 30, of the 7900 block of Southeast Kingsway Street in Hobe Sound, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and resisting arrest without violence.

Police had been watching a foreclosed home in the 800 block of Southeast Nassau Street after a suspicious vehicle was reported parked in the driveway several times that day.
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VERO BEACH — A 25-year-old man rolled his father’s BMW into the Indian River Lagoon and then jumped 60 feet into the water from the Merrill Barber Bridge — all as a lark, police say.

Charges haven’t been filed in the 2:30 a.m. Monday incident. But George Peniston of the 100 block of Terrapin Point could face legal consequences, said police spokesman Officer John Morrison.

Jumping off a bridge could be considered disorderly conduct punishable by six months in jail.
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Asked whether he was growing marijuana, Oulay Inthaphone reportedly told sheriff’s investigators he was growing “a plant” for a school project.

Deputies ended up actually recovering two plants, some marijuana “blunts,” about a dozen Ecstasy pills and a pipe, according to an arrest affidavit released Thursday.

Deputies on Wednesday night went to a unit in Harbour Isle West and contacted Inthaphone following an anonymous complaint that marijuana was growing there.

“I told him the reason we were there and asked him if he was growing marijuana,” the affidavit states. “He said he was growing a plant for a school project.”

Inthaphone showed sheriff’s officials where two plants were growing, and investigators also turned up about 12 Ecstasy pills.

Inthaphone allegedly admitted growing the marijuana and bringing the Ecstasy from Michigan.

He faces felony charges of cultivation of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance/MDMA and a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge.

By Will Greenlee, TCPalm.com

FORT PIERCE — A mother and son were arrested Tuesday after the mother signed for a package of 8 pounds of marijuana addressed to her son, according to arrest affidavits released Wednesday.

The mother, 51-year-old Maria Andrade, said the pot was for “personal use,” rather than sale, an affidavit states.

The package was “flagged” by postal officials as possibly containing marijuana, and additional investigation confirmed the presence of drugs.

It was addressed to Mauricio G. Andrade, 20, of the 2600 block of South 27th Street. He is Maria Andrade’s son. Maria Andrade signed for the package and said her son was expecting a delivery.

The younger Andrade arrived minutes later, and both were taken into custody after police executed a search warrant.

They each face felony marijuana-related charges.

By Will Greenlee, TCPalm.com

ROSELAND — Law enforcement officials searched a home Monday they suspected of being a methamphetamine lab and arrested two people.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and the Sebastian Police Department, launched the investigation following a tip early Monday, Sheriff’s Detective Eric Flowers said. A local pharmacy notified law enforcement after someone bought ingredients commonly used for making methamphetamine, Flowers said.
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WASHINGTON — Former Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce police chief Gil Kerlikowske received Senate approval Thursday as the national drug czar.

Kerlikowske, a 36-year law enforcement veteran who has been the chief of Seattle Police since 2000, has said he will take a balanced, science-based approach to the job of director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The position is commonly known as the drug czar.

The Senate approved his nomination, 9-1-1.
Fort Pierce Police Chief Sean Baldwin, who joined the local force a month after the city hired Kerlikowske in 1990, was pleased to hear of the confirmation.

“It’s nice to see a chief who has dealt with local problems, local drug problems, local issues in a community, now in charge in Washington, D.C,” Baldwin said. “It’s reassuring to know that the man who is serving as the drug czar has real experience with the problems that local law enforcement officers go through on the street.”

Kerlikowske could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Baldwin called Kerlikowske, who has a record of alternative-policing strategies and youth intervention programs, “an extremely progressive guy.”

The 59-year-old Kerlikowske said he will help develop a strategy to address drug-related violence along the Mexican border. While he and other officials would work to reduce the international drug supply, the biggest contribution the United States can make is to reduce demand for illicit drugs, Kerlikowske said. (more…)

STUART — A Martin County grand jury on Wednesday returned first-degree murder and robbery indictments against two Stuart residents accused in the April 5 beating death of Keith A. Hall, who died three days after being attacked.

Charged are James Louis LaForteza, 29, and Kobi Anderson, 15, who authorities say beat Hall into unconsciousness to steal $40 he’d shown the man and teen in an attempt to buy drugs. (more…)

Keith Hall

The man and teen accused of kicking and punching him to unconsciousness Sunday night now face murder charges.

Keith A. Hall, 38, had been kicked and punched unconscious during a Sunday night robbery. He died at Martin Memorial Hospital on Wednesday after being removed from life support shortly before 5:20 p.m., police spokesman Sgt. Marty Jacobson said.

Hall was robbed outside the Right Way convenience store in the 1800 block of Palm Beach Road at 9:35 p.m.

Kobe Anderson

James LaForteza

Hall had been trying to buy drugs when he was robbed and beaten, police said. Sunday was also the day Hall had been released after being incarcerated for the past year on marijuana possession charges, according to state Department of Corrections records.