Yulee, Fla. – On March 6, 2013 Sheriff Bill Leeper and Judge Robert Foster met to finalize the orders enabling the Sheriff’s Office to destroy controlled substances in the evidence inventory dating back to 1992. The orders signed by Judge Robert Foster are the first to be issued in thirteen years, authorizing the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office to destroy controlled substances in its possession. The last destruction of these drugs was done in 2002, under Former-Sheriff Ray Geiger.
Florida Statute 893.12 authorizes the forfeiture and destruction of all controlled substances in possession of the Sheriff’s Office, which are not required as evidence in pending criminal cases and lawful title to the items cannot be obtained. A written inventory containing the place where the controlled substances were seized, the kinds and quantities of drugs to be destroyed, and the time, place and manner in which the inventory shall be destroyed is required before being considered by the judicial system.
The inventory submitted with the court orders included: 1,500 pounds of marijuana; nearly 600 marijuana plants; 600 prescription pills; cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine; and numerous boxes of drug paraphernalia. A total of 3,180 pounds of controlled substances and paraphernalia were incinerated at the Baldwin destruction facility on March 7, 2013.
“The Sheriff’s deputies spent countless hours working cases to remove these illegal drugs from our streets. I am grateful for Judge Foster’s assistance to ensure that these harmful drugs were finally able to be destroyed in accordance with the law,” stated Sheriff Bill Leeper.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently working on the second list of items to be removed from evidence inventory. These include controlled substances, weapons and other property that are no longer needed in pending criminal cases, have not been claimed despite exhausted efforts or are a danger to the public.
If you have received a court order to retrieve items that were seized by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and wish to do so, please call (904) 548-4050.
