Deputies: Delray man brought cocaine up to Martin County
Convicted felon had substance hidden in vehicle, officials say.
A Delray Beach man was caught crossing the Palm Beach-Martin county line w i t h $ 4 5 , 0 0 0 wo r t h o f cocaine, the Martin County Sheriff ’s Office said.
Joseph M. McMullen, 44, was headed northbound on Florida’s Turnpike through Martin County when he was stopped by Sgt. Bryan Parrett with his K-9, Nero, the sheriff ’s office said.
P a r r e t t a n d N e r o d i s - covered 1.6 kilo grams of u n c u t c o c a i n e a n d 1 k g . of a cutting compound hidden inside the spare tire compartment of McCullen’s vehicle.
“Those drugs have an estimated value of $45,000, before being broken down into smaller quantities for street sales,” the sheriff ’s office wrote on Facebook.
McMullen, a convic ted felon, was released from state prison in 2014 after serving five years for a felony fleeing and eluding charge, according to state records.
He’s been in and out of prison five times since 1991 on charges of robbery, robbery with a deadly weapon, and the sale, delivery or manufac turing of mariju ana, records show.
P a r re t t was p a t ro l l i ng Florida’s Turnpike as part of a Martin County Sheriff ’s Office effort to target criminals who pass through the county, the department said.
It has increased its law enforcement presence on highways that run through the county.
The sheriff aims to identify criminals “traveling through our backyard,” officials wrote on Facebook.