| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: SMITH, STEVE 0292 (AR15-14298) ON 031815, MYSELF AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE LEVY CITRUS DRUG TASK FORCE RESPONDED TO 10774 WEST BULL TOWNSEND PATH IN CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA, IN REFERENCE TO MAKING CONTACT WITH MR REX TOWNSEND (DEFENDANT). UPON ARRIVAL, DEFENDANT TOWNSEND EXITED HIS RESIDENCE AND MET ME AT MY VEHICLE WHERE WE BEGAN TO TALK. I HAVE KNOWN DEFENDANT TOWNSEND FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND HAVE AN EXTREMELY GOOD RAPPORT WITH HIM. WHEN ASKED WHO ELSE LIVES AT THE RESIDENCE, HE ADVISED MR BUCKY SMITH, (DEFENDANT) AT WHICH TIME DEFENDANT SMITH EXITED THE RESIDENCE AND ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON. I THEN ADVISED DEFENDANT SMITH THAT WE HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC COMING AND GOING FROM THE RESIDENCE. AT THAT TIME DEFENDANT SMITH TURNED AROUND AND RE-ENTERED THE RESIDENCE. I CONTINUED MY CONVERSATION WITH DEFENDANT TOWNSEND, WHO GAVE ME HIS CONSENT TO WALK AROUND HIS YARD. UPON WALKING AROUND THE YARD, I OBSERVED A BURN PILE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM DEFENDANT TOWNSENDâS RESIDENCE. WHEN I REACHED THIS BURN PILE, I IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED REMNANTS FROM METHAMPHETAMINE MANUFACTURE IN THE BURN PILE. I OBSERVED BINDER WITH MARBLES IN IT, AS WELL AS CUT LITHIUM BATTERIES. WHEN DEFENDANT TOWNSEND WAS CONFRONTED WITH THIS, HE ADVISED THAT IT WAS NOT HIM. DEFENDANT SMITH WAS THEN ASKED TO STEP OUTSIDE, AT WHICH TIME BOTH DEFENDANT TOWNSEND AND DEFENDANT SMITH WERE DETAINED AND A LAWFUL SEARCH WARRANT WAS OBTAINED FOR THE RESIDENCE. UPON SERVING THE WARRANT, A DILIGENT SEARCH OF THE RESIDENCE YIELDED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: IN DEFENDANT BUCKY SMITHâS BEDROOM WERE MULTIPLE PARAPHERNALIA ITEMS TO INCLUDE SPOONS, SYRINGES, SMALL DIME SIZED BAGS AND LARGE FREEZER BAGS WITH BOTH CORNERS CUT OFF. THESE BAGS ARE NORMALLY CUT LIKE THIS WHEN USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHEN GASSING OFF THE METHAMPHETAMINE. THE CORNER OF THESE BAGS TESTED POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER PARAPHERNALIA ITEMS LOCATED IN THE ROOM. DEFENDANT BUCKY SMITH HAD CLOTHING AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS IN THE ROOM TO INCLUDE HIS WALLET, IDENTIFICATION AND HIS ââEBTââ CARD. ALSO LOCATED IN THE BEDROOM WAS A CONTAINER OF SALT WHICH IS ALSO UTILIZED IN THE GASSING OFF PROCESS. IN THE BATHROOM CLOSEST TO DEFENDANT BUCKY SMITHâS ROOM, A BOTTLE OF LIQUID FIRE WAS LOCATED WHICH IS ALSO USED IN THE FINAL PRODUCTION STAGES OF GASSING OFF THE METHAMPHETAMINE. IN THE LIVING ROOM AREA, WE LOCATED A PILL GRINDER CONTAINING A WHITE RESIDUE THAT FIELD TESTED POSITIVE FOR EPHEDRINE. SEVERAL MORE PLASTIC BAGS WERE FOUND WHICH FIELD TESTED POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE. WRAPPERS FROM LITHIUM BATTERIES AND A SQUARE CONTAINER OF WATER THAT WAS REMOVED FROM A COLD PACK WERE ALSO LOCATED. NEAR THE BACK DOOR, A CAN OF COLEMAN FUEL WAS LOCATED. IN DEFENDANT TOWNSENDâS ROOM, MULTIPLE BAGGIES WHICH TESTED POSITIVE FOR COCAINE, ALONG WITH A CRACK PIPE, WERE LOCATED. ALL THESE ITEMS WERE COLLECTED. ALL ITEMS DEEMED UNSAFE WERE PHOTOGRAPHED AND LATER TURNED INTO THE CITRUS COUNT METHAMPHETAMINE CONTAINER UNIT FOR DESTRUCTION. ALL THE OTHER ITEMS WERE TURNED INTO EVIDENCE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DEFENDANT TOWNSEND WAS INTERVIEWED AND READ MIRANDA WARNINGS. HE ADVISED OF ALL THE ITEMS THAT WOULD BE FOUND IN HIS ROOM, TO INCLUDE THE EMPTY BAGGIES THAT WOULD TEST POSITIVE FOR COCAINE, ALONG WITH THE CRACK PIPE. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT HE KNEW DEFENDANT SMITH HAD MANUFACTURED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THAT HE HAD ADVISED DEFENDANT SMITH THAT HE DID NOT WANT METH MANUFACTURING OCCURRING AT THE RESIDENCE. DEFENDANT TOWNSEND WAS ISSUED NOTICE TO APPEAR CITATION NUMBER, 18341, WITH A COURT DATE OF 040215 AT 1300 HOURS FOR POSSESSION OF PARAPHERNALIA. DEFENDANT SMITH WAS ISSUED NOTICE TO APPEAR CITATION NUMBER 18340, WITH A COURT DATE OF 040215 AT 1300 HOURS FOR POSSESSION OF PARAPHERNALIA. THE MANUFACTURING ITEMS WILL BE PROCESSED, AND IF FINGERPRINTS COME BACK, ADDITIONAL ARRESTS WILL BE MADE. |
