FLORAL CITY, Fla. — A 75-year-old Citrus County man has been arrested and charged with selling significant amounts of marijuana. 

  • Floral City man, 75, arrested on drug charges
  • Sheriff's Office: William Carlton Sr. sold significant amounts of drugs
  • Calton facing drug and weapons charges

According to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, a search warrant served at 12770 South Oakview Avenue in Floral City Tuesday morning resulted in the arrest of William Carlton Sr. 

During the execution of the search warrant, detectives located 464 grams of cannabis, 20-gauge shotgun ammunition, and over $25,500 in cash inside of Carlton's bedroom. Detectives also searched a large wooden barn located on the property and discovered 711 grams of cannabis and various pieces of distribution equipment - to include a vacuum seal machine, a large digital scale, and various sized plastic baggies used to package drugs.

After learning that the cash located in Carlton's room was obtained from the illicit sale of cannabis, detectives seized the currency for forfeiture. 

Due to the large sum of cash and various evidence collected, detectives estimated that Carlton was selling pounds of illegal marijuana on a daily basis.

Carlton was arrested and charged for Possession of Cannabis with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

"Not only was William Carlton Sr. a convicted felon in violation of the law by possessing firearm ammunition, but he was an even greater threat to our community from his illegal drugs activity," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "It is not breaking news that the growing range of drugs in Florida are laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate drug that can be fatal in small quantities. 

"No one could know if the next batch of marijuana that Carlton would sell contained this deadly substance until it is too late. Fentanyl-laced marijuana is a real and growing concern. That's why your Sheriff's Office will never stop enforcing the law and combating the illegal drug activity to make Citrus County the safest community in Florida."