Zachary Wester drug planting trial: Case in the hands of jury
View Comments
MARIANNA Jurors in the drug-planting trial of former North Florida deputy Zachary Wester began their deliberations Monday afternoon after the prosecution and defense gave their closing arguments.
Wester, 28, of Crawfordville, is charged with racketeering, official misconduct, false imprisonment, fabricating evidence, perjury and possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. If convicted on all 67 counts, he could face a maximum sentence of 200-plus years in state prison, though he d likely serve only a fraction of that.
Assistant State Attorney Tom Williams told jurors that Wester used his power as a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff s Office to pull over his alleged victims, plant meth and paraphernalia in their vehicles and take them to jail.
Zachary Wester trial live updates: Trial continues Monday, May 17 tallahassee.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tallahassee.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Former Jackson County Sheriff Zachary Wester is on trial against the state for planting drugs while searching people's cars during traffic stops. He’s facing charges of racketeering, official misconduct, fabricating evidence as well as perjury. He’s facing more than 70 charges. The state spent four days proving its case to the jury, while the defense just spent one. WFSU’s Gina Jordan talks with Blaise Gainey about what’s taken place.
View Comments
MARIANNA The alleged victims of Zachary Wester, the North Florida deputy accused of planting meth in their cars during traffic stops, began sharing their stories and their pain with jurors as his long-anticipated trial began.
Joshua Emanuel, then a store manager at the American Eagle in Panama City, said he was left in shock after Wester pulled him over in April 2018, searched his car and supposedly found meth and a syringe beside the center console.
“I don’t do meth I don’t even know why it would even be there,” Emanuel told jurors. “I mean it was total confusion. I didn’t know what was going on.”