Gadsden County Deputy Sheriff Charged With Facilitating Drug Trafficking Offenses

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Gadsden County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Barnes, Jr., 52, of Quincy, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he unlawfully used a communication facility to aid or facilitate the possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Barnes was released on court-ordered conditions that included surrendering his two service weapons and the trained K-9 that played prominently in Barnes’ alleged criminal activity. The criminal complaint was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

According to the criminal complaint, Barnes actively aided individuals who distributed drugs in the Gadsden County area by alerting these individuals that federal law enforcement was watching them. In addition, he is alleged to have physically examined drug transport vehicles to determine if law enforcement had attached GPS tracking devices to vehicles about to be used for drug transportation. The complaint also alleges that he used his Gadsden County K-9, which was trained to detect the odor of narcotics residue, to determine whether a law enforcement K-9 could detect the presence of drugs in cars equipped with a hidden compartment to transport a load of drugs. Barnes allegedly used his cell phone to facilitate meetings with these individuals to accomplish these goals.

The criminal complaint and arrest stemmed from an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a joint federal, state, and local cooperative, which targeted a drug trafficking organization.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.