POLK COUNTY, Fla. – It all happened at a Walmart with a warrant for Michael Miller Jr., a 45-year-old Lakeland man who is now facing serious prison time after deputies caught up with him in Auburndale.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd detailed the arrest during his December 17 morning briefing, casually sipping coffee as he broke down the case against the man he dubbed a “doper.”
Miller had been a wanted man, with an active warrant out for his arrest for trafficking methamphetamine.
“That’s serious charges, you know, get you some big house time,” Sheriff Judd remarked.
Investigators tracked Miller to the local Walmart in Auburndale, a detail that prompted the Sheriff to offer a bit of tongue-in-cheek advice on criminal apprehensions.
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“If you ever need to find somebody, go to a Walmart. You know what I’m saying?” Judd joked, briefly musing about the efficacy of parking lot facial recognition before dismissing the idea as bad for business.
While the warrant was the primary reason for the stop, the situation escalated quickly at the scene. According to the Sheriff, Miller wasn’t just shopping; he was holding. Deputies discovered additional methamphetamine inside Miller’s car during the arrest.
“Some people just never learn,” Judd said, shaking his head.
Miller was taken into custody on the outstanding trafficking warrant and now faces additional consequences for the narcotics found in his vehicle. Sheriff Judd closed the briefing with a blunt prediction for Miller’s immediate future.
“You’re on your way to prison, I just know it,” Judd said.
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