Citrus County deputies are asking for the public's help locating 42-year-old Ashley Brower, who is wanted for violating probation stemming from fentanyl and methamphetamine possession charges. Brower stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. She was named the latest “Wanted of the Week” subject on Wednesday.
According to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, Brower was originally charged with possession of fentanyl and possession of methamphetamine before her probation violation warrant was issued. The agency is asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward, and the sheriff's office can be reached at 352-249-2790.
Florida law gives judges wide latitude once a probation violation warrant like Brower's is issued. Under Florida Statute § 948.06, a circuit judge can issue such a warrant without granting bail as a matter of right for a material violation, which exposes a defendant whose probation is revoked to the full statutory maximum prison term tied to the original charges, Hoodline has previously reported.
What Brower Could Be Facing
The underlying charges carry real weight on their own. Simple possession of methamphetamine, or of less than four grams of fentanyl, is a third-degree felony under Florida Statute § 893.13, punishable by up to five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine per count, according to Caughey Law.
Probation violation hearings also work differently than a standard criminal trial. Florida law does not grant defendants a right to a jury trial in these proceedings, meaning a judge can revoke probation based on a preponderance of the evidence rather than proof beyond a reasonable doubt, per the Mowrey Law Firm. Hearsay evidence can also be admitted during those hearings.
A Decade-Old Connection to Violence
Brower's name has surfaced in Citrus County law enforcement records before. Back in December 2016, she was identified by the sheriff's office as one of two victims who suffered chest stab wounds during a double attempted-murder incident in Floral City. It remains unclear what specific circumstances led to her current probation violation, and her present whereabouts are unknown.
Part of a Broader Local Pattern
Brower's case fits a pattern the sheriff's office has repeated often this year. On August 27, deputies featured 62-year-old Michael Don Swain as their wanted fugitive for violating probation on identical underlying charges of fentanyl and methamphetamine possession. Similar spotlights went out for 43-year-old Kristopher Lee Candalaria Sellers in May and 30-year-old Triston Shaw in March, both tied to probation violations rooted in methamphetamine possession cases.
The sheriff's office runs at significant scale across the county it has policed since 1887. The agency covers more than 773 square miles and over 171,000 residents across unincorporated areas and the contract municipalities of Inverness and Crystal River, and it logged 6,343 calls for service, 1,426 traffic stops, 320 citations, and 120 arrests in a single week this past May.
Fentanyl enforcement has been a particular focus in recent years. In August 2024, deputies executed the largest fentanyl seizure in the department's history, confiscating more than 13 pounds of fentanyl and 22 firearms during a joint operation spanning Homosassa and Pasco County, with the seized narcotics carrying an estimated street value of $735,000. Regionally, the Leesburg Medical Examiner District, which covers Citrus, Lake, Hernando, Marion, and Sumter counties, saw a 40 percent decrease in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2023, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Anyone with information on Ashley Brower's location is asked to contact the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
