Gordie Larkin was in mid-sentence when the moment got to him. A detective with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Larkin was speaking at a Dade City Rotary Club meeting, where members of the sheriff's SWAT team were receiving a public service award named after him. In 2002, Larkin, a member of the SWAT team, was shot between the eyes while issuing a search warrant. He was back on the force a year later. Addressing a crowd of about 100 at the Dade City Business Center, Larkin spoke of the pride he had in his fellow SWAT team members. Sheriff's Capt. Skip Stone, who leads the SWAT team, described the job as "usually volatile." "When we have SWAT situations, it usually involves firearms and drug activity," he said. "It creates a tough situation." ...more

December 8, 2008

An anonymous complaint led Hillsborough County deputies to 25 marijuana plants in a garage Tuesday. ...more

December 3, 2008

A St. Petersburg man was sentenced today to 111 months in prison and his former girlfriend 46 months for selling thousands of pounds of marijuana. U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew imposed the prison terms on Keith Pritchett, 29, and Monique Pruitt, 28, both of 4225 Cortez Way S. They both pleaded guilty Aug. 26 to conspiring to possess with the intent of distributing large quantities of marijuana. ...more

November 26, 2008

An investigation that began in part when police learned marijuana was stored in a Pinellas Park warehouse has led to a plea of guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. ...more

November 21, 2008

Narcotics detectives went through a house Wednesday evening and confiscated 13 marijuana plants and three guns after the resident let them in without a search warrant, according to the Clearwater Police Department. ...more

November 20, 2008

A Lake Placid man is serving four years in state prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography. ...more

November 18, 2008

Police say they seized four ounces of methamphetamine Thursday during one of two arrests near Laurenwood Mobile Home Park. ...more

November 8, 2008

Two men accused of having a hand in a marijuana grow house opted for drug treatment over trial on Thursday. ...more

November 7, 2008

MANATEE COUNTY – Authorities recently found two young girls in an apartment filled with drugs and loaded guns and two unconscious adults. ...more

November 6, 2008

A 37-year-old St. Petersburg man who pleaded guilty to drug charges was sentenced today to 24 1/2 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. ...more

October 16, 2008