By Staff Report
Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, March 10th, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) K9 Deputy stopped a white Dodge Ram 1500 on 331 S near Myrtle Avenue for multiple equipment violations.
K9 Aries was deployed for a free air sniff and alerted to the odor of narcotics present in the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed a cut straw with methamphetamine residue, a hypodermic needle, and approximately 37.4 grams of methamphetamine.
Joseph Everett Byrd, 58, of Ponce De Leon, was arrested for trafficking methamphetamine — a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years. He was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting without violence.
At the time of his arrest, Byrd was already out on bond for a prior meth possession charge from January of this year. He was given a $252,000 bond and remains incarcerated at the time of this release.
GARETT VALCOURT 