A Florida sheriff donned an alleged drug kingpin’s gold chain and bracelet while blasting the deadly trade that paid for his bling.
Polk County lawman Grady Judd at a press conference Friday flashed the thick gold necklace around his neck as he alleged that Nathaniel “Nate” Donald and other members operated a drug ring that resulted in the overdose death of one elderly woman.
“She was walking out of her house to church when she collapsed, so she died, so Nate could have this drip,” Judd said. “Did you hear what I said? He’s buying this drip from selling drugs to people on the streets, one of which died.”
And one of the organization’s dealers, Troy Cortez Walker, has even been charged with murder for the death the last September.
Judd said a major investigation by his deputies landed 32 alleged criminals behind bars, while he flashed their confiscated pistols and jewels.
“I got their drip. I got their money. We got their guns. We got their dope,” he boasted.
He said the $50,000 chain — which he repeatedly called “drip” — and represented far more than just a fly accessory.
“Where you see $50,000 in drip, where you see that ‘not-so-dangerous’ drug of cannabis, you see guns and you see first-degree murder from overdose. I am over it,” he said.
“I am over it when people tell you that drugs are low-level and non-violent,” Judd added, flashing a pair of seized pistols to demonstrate his point.
Donald was busted along with 31 of his alleged henchmen after a year-long investigation into local drug trafficking, which Judd said was responsible for moving “millions” of dollars in narcotics through central Florida.
The investigation also picked up about $150,000 in hard drugs and several guns that were in the hands of convicted felons, while the prior convictions of the arrested totaled 554 felonies and 394 misdemeanors, according to Fox 13.
Investigators say they tracked the organization’s criminal activity through a series of suspicious wire transfers — including one Donald allegedly made for his five-figure chain.
“Guess what — $50,000 wires in drip,” Judd said, adding that the group was dealing “marijuana, fentanyl, crack cocaine, MDMA, all kinds of pills to include oxycodone, hydrocodone, ketamine.”
“They’re a menace to society. They’ve got to stay in prison, or people die,” Judd said. “Whoever tells you that narcotics is low level and non violent — they’re crazy”
