On July 16, a routine traffic stop by Hernando County Vice and Narcotics detectives led to the arrest of a Spring Hill man on multiple felony charges, after they identified him as James Burrell, a driver with a revoked license, in a gas station parking lot at 1950 E Jefferson Street, Brooksville.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, Burrell was cooperative, admitting to detectives that he was aware of his license status, and when detectives spotted a plastic bag with a crystal-like substance in his vehicle's cup holder, which Burrell suggested was "probably meth," this substance later tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing 6.0 grams including the baggie.
A further search unveiled more incriminating items: a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun, ten 9mm rounds, additional methamphetamine, a glass smoking device, and a black digital scale were all discovered, with Burrell volunteering that he also had 'something else' on his person, which turned out to be another 4.8 grams of methamphetamine within a plastic bag in his pocket, a criminal history check impugned him further, revealing a past felony conviction, and a check with the Office of Executive Clemency confirmed that his civil rights remained un-restored.
Burrell now faces several charges including possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving while license suspended or revoked, and due to the severity of the firearm-related charges, he was held at the Hernando County Detention Center without bond, the arrest underscores the Hernando County Sheriff's Office commitment to proactive enforcement against narcotics-related crimes.
