Michael Allen Reams, a registered sexual predator, received a life sentence from a Lake County judge after being found guilty on multiple drug charges, including trafficking fentanyl. The case stemmed from an investigation that began in 2021.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake County judge has sentenced 44-year-old Michael Allen Reams to life in prison. Reams, a registered sexual predator and habitual felony offender, was convicted on a slew of drug-related charges, including trafficking more than 28 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to traffic fentanyl.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Brian Welke.
Reams was found guilty by a jury in June of this year. In addition to the fentanyl charges, he was convicted of trafficking heroin, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and child neglect, among other crimes.
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The investigation that led to Reams’ conviction began in August 2021 when the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit, with assistance from the Tavares and Leesburg Police Departments, executed a search warrant at a residence on 1st Bass Street in Tavares. The search was prompted by a traffic stop a month earlier that had led to the discovery of five ounces of fentanyl.
During the search, detectives found Reams inside the home along with a woman and an 8-year-old child. Law enforcement officials located various narcotics, multiple cellphones, and drug paraphernalia consistent with the packaging and distribution of illicit drugs.
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In a search of Reams’ bedroom, detectives discovered a safe containing items related to the proceeds of drug sales. More than 28 grams of heroin were also found in a cooler inside a vehicle on the property that Reams was known to use.
During the trial, where Reams represented himself, a forensic analyst testified that his DNA was found on evidence collected at the scene. It was also revealed in court that Reams had used the young child to carry bags containing the illicit drugs, including deadly fentanyl.
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