The Bay County, Florida Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of two men and seizure of almost 12 pounds of crystal methamphetamine at the conclusion of an investigation by the BCSO Special Investigations Division.
On April 2nd, 2021, the Special Investigations Division served two search warrants at a hotel on Panama City Beach.
In one hotel room, investigators found approximately 10.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 12 pounds of marijuana, over $7000 in US currency, and a stolen firearm.
In the second room investigators found Ricardo Estrada-Delao who had rented both of the rooms in his name.
Estrada-Delao was arrested and charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine. Estrada-Delao is an admitted illegal immigrant and has been in the United States for approximately three months.
At almost the same time that the two warrants were being served, a traffic stop by deputies was done on Back Beach Road in connection to this investigation.
After a drug detection dog alerted on the vehicle, investigators searched the vehicle and found an additional one pound of methamphetamine and three pounds of marijuana. The vehicle’s lone occupant, Joseph Butterworth, was arrested for Trafficking in Methamphetamine.
Joseph E Butterworth, age 31, of Morar Road, Panama City, 1/26/90 was charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Ricardo Estrada-Delao, age 35, a transient, was arrested on charges of Trafficking Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
