Former Florida deputy accused of planting drugs in traffic stops

MARIANNA, Fla.—A former sheriff’s deputy in the Florida Panhandle was arrested Wednesday on charges that he routinely pulled over drivers for minor traffic infractions, planted drugs and then arrested them on made-up drug charges.

Former Jackson County deputy Zachary Wester was arrested in Crawfordville, Fla., after a nearly year-long investigation, according to a statement from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Prosecutors had to drop charges in nearly 120 cases.

“There is no question that Wester’s crimes were deliberate and that his actions put innocent people in jail,” Chris Williams, an assistant special agent in charge for the FDLE in Pensacola, said in a statement.

Wester faces felony charges of racketeering, official misconduct, fabricating evidence, possession of a controlled substance and false imprisonment. He also faces misdemeanor charges of perjury, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Benjamin Bowling, who was a passenger in one of the cars Webster pulled over, was arrested and charged with possessing methamphetamine in October 2017. Florida’s child welfare agency had recently awarded Bowling custody of his daughter after being released from prison on a DUI conviction. One of the conditions of his release was to be routinely tested for drugs, according to the arrest warrant. After his arrest, he took another drug test and it was negative. He asked to see body camera video, but never received it.

Bowling lost custody of his daughter because of the arrest.