Last Friday, Citrus County Sheriff's Office investigators hit a home near 8611 East Sandpiper Drive in Inverness with a search warrant and left with three people in handcuffs, the department said. Deputies reported finding methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs in what they described as trafficking quantities. The arrests came after a brief foot chase and a traffic stop on a vehicle pulling away from the property, according to officials.
The sheriff's post identified the suspects as 39-year-old Shawn Gregory Sellers, 33-year-old Darra Ann Deshea Lee and 66-year-old Jeffrey Scott Hunter. Deputies said Sellers was caught after a short foot pursuit and had 21.1 grams of methamphetamine and 1.94 grams of fentanyl in his backpack. Inside the residence, detectives said they located 13.2 grams of methamphetamine, 1.8 grams of fentanyl, PCP, scales with fentanyl residue and additional paraphernalia. According to the post, Sellers faces charges of trafficking in methamphetamine (14 grams or more but less than 28 grams), possession of fentanyl, resisting without violence and possession of drug paraphernalia. Lee and Hunter were charged with multiple counts that include possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to sell and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. “The special investigations unit stopped these drugs before they could spread any further into our community,” Captain Mat Baird wrote in a post by Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
What deputies say they found
According to the sheriff's office, people inside the home were detained while investigators executed the warrant and stopped a vehicle that was leaving the property. The department's post described finding items they associate with drug distribution, including packaging materials, scales and smaller quantities of additional narcotics. Detectives also reported locating paraphernalia and substances that they say point to a broader distribution setup operating out of the residence.
Local context and fentanyl risk
Citrus County has been the backdrop for previous large-scale drug operations. In 2023, a multiagency effort in the county seized quantities of fentanyl that local media reported could have caused tens of thousands of fatal overdoses, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. State data show fentanyl and related analogues remain at the center of overdose deaths and drug fatalities in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's 2024 Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons report, which states that fentanyl was the leading drug involved in 2024 deaths.
Charges and penalties
Under Florida law, hitting certain drug weights automatically bumps a case into trafficking territory with mandatory minimum prison terms. Possession of 14 grams or more of methamphetamine is charged as trafficking, with a mandatory minimum three-year sentence and a $50,000 fine for the 14 to 28 gram range. Trafficking in fentanyl starts at 4 grams and carries higher mandatory penalties as the quantities increase, according to Florida Statute §893.135.
The sheriff's post stresses that the investigation is still active and that all charges remain allegations pending review by prosecutors. Deputies have not yet released booking details or court dates. The special investigations unit said it plans to keep going after suspected distribution networks in the county, according to Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
