Deputies on Thursday found drugs inside of a home where a couple and their 3-month-old child were living in at 9318 N. Travis Drive in Citrus Springs.
The discovery came after the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) served a search warrant at the home.
The TIU had received information that Samuel Gorman and his girlfriend, Amber Branson, were receiving cannabis through the mail and utilizing different techniques to extract THC wax and hashish. The pair were also smoking cannabis in their home in the presence of their three-month-old.
With this information, detectives quickly collected the evidence that led to the issuance of a search warrant for the main purpose of keeping the child safe.
When detectives entered the residence, they smelled a strong odor of cannabis. Inside they located Gorman and Branson along with their baby and a roommate Samantha Carson. Located in an unsecured cabinet at floor level was nearly a pound of green leafy cannabis. Detectives also discovered over 10 pounds of edible cannabis gummy worms.
“Today, our TIU detectives were able to eliminate a risk to the youth in our community, and remove a 3-month-old child from a potentially dangerous environment,” said Sheriff Prendergast. “To those offenders who use cannabis candies and similar products as a way to appeal to children, our message to you is simple, it will not be tolerated in Citrus County.”
At the conclusion of the search warrant detectives uncovered:
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- 73 grams cannabis wax
- 15 vape cartridge syringes 1mil each
- 12.2 grams of hashish
- 2 vape canisters
- 435 grams of green leafy cannabis
- 10.6 lbs. of edibles (gummy worms)
- $6,260.00 U.S. Currency
- Paraphernalia and manufacturing equipment
Samuel Gorman and Amber Branson were charged with: possession of a place used to manufacture controlled substance when a minor is present or resides there, possession of cannabis with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance, possession of manufacturing equipment and possession of paraphernalia. Their bonds were each set at $17,000.00.
The Department of Children and Families was contacted and the child was removed from the custody of Gorman and Branson.