#zach wester

[nathanarcher]

Archer, Nathan. “The Plant.” Tallahassee Democrat, July 13, 2019. https://on.tdo.com/2nUeq7o.

[candy--heart]

Fired Jackson County Deputy Zach Wester was arrested on racketeering and numerous other charges for allegedly planting meth and other street drugs on unsuspecting motorists before hauling them off to jail. Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who have been investigating Wester for more than nine months, arrested him Wednesday. Wester, expected to make his first court appearance on Thursday, invoked his right to remain silent and declined to speak with investigators. He was arrested on 52 counts in all. Aside from the racketeering count, he was charged with a number of other felonies, including official misconduct, false imprisonment, fabricating evidence and possession of a controlled substance. He was also charged with misdemeanor charges of perjury, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, FDLE said.

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-deputy-arrested-planting-meth-162151151.html

Another of his alleged victims, Benjamin Bowling, was arrested in 2017 on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to the arrest affidavit.

Wester claimed he smelled marijuana in the vehicle, though Bowling, a passenger, and the driver denied doing drugs. After Wester announced he’d found drugs in the car, Bowling swore he’d been clean since an earlier DUI arrest. At the time, he was being tested regularly after gaining custody of his daughter.

“Furthermore, Bowling voluntarily took a drug test after he was arrested and it was negative,” the arrest report says. “Bowling contacted the Sheriff’s Office and requested that the drugs were tested for DNA and fingerprints. Bowling also requested the body camera video but never received it. Bowling lost custody of his daughter because of the arrest.”