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Tenth suspect arrested in large-scale Tallahassee drug trafficking ring

James Shutes
Posted at 5:50 PM, Feb 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-13 12:54:17-05

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A man who's been federally indicted for working with the ringleader of a Tallahassee-based meth and cocaine trafficking ring has been arrested.

James William Shutes Jr., 58, was booked into jail Tuesday. He's the tenth person to be indicted as part of the large-scale drug ring.

According to court documents, investigators say Shutes was part of a Tallahassee-based drug ring led by Barney Earl Crutchfield that distributed large quantities of cocaine and meth within Leon and surrounding counties.

He's also accused of purchased multiple kilogram shipments of cocaine and meth from suppliers in south Florida and southern Georgia.

In January 2017, members of the FDLE and DEA along with assistance from the Leon and Wakulla county sheriff's offices, began an investigation into Crutchfield's drug trafficking organization.

Investigating agents learned that Crutchfield's organization was responsible for distributing large amounts of cocaine and meth within Leon and the surrounding counties.

On April 20, 2018, Crutchfield, the owner of a Tallahassee construction business called BEC & Company, plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Crutchfield is set to be sentenced on April 11, 2019. 

Investigators say Shutes was one of 10 indicted individuals who helped Crutchfield traffic cocaine between Sept. 14, 2017, and Dec. 28, 2017, in Leon County. Court documents say he regularly bought cocaine from Crutchfield and other members of the ring.

The majority of the transactions occurred between Shutes and Crutchfield occurred at Crutchfield's Leon County residence, court documents said.

On Sept. 14, 2017, law enforcement agencies intercepted voice communications in which Shutes and Crutchfield discussed an impending narcotics transaction set to take place the next morning.

Shutes expressed his worries about the current methods of obtaining cocaine from Crutchfield, but Crutchfield reassured Shutes that their methods were sound by noting Crutchfield's rural location.

On Sept. 15, 2017, law enforcement intercepted text messages between Shutes and Crutchfield about their upcoming cocaine transaction. The messages ended with Shutes texting Crutchfield "Picked up and delivered thank you," referring to his having retrieved the cocaine and dropped off the payment.

Law enforcement intercepted a number of other voice communications in which Shutes and Crutchfield discussed cocaine transactions.

In one such communication, on Oct. 4, 2017, law enforcement confirmed that Crutchfield placed cocaine in his mailbox for Shutes to pick up, court documents said. Agents arrived at Crutchfield's home and retrieved a white envelope from Crutchfield's mailbox.

The package was the only white envelope in the mailbox at the time and was similar to the envelope Crutchfield was seen placing in the mailbox earlier in the afternoon. An opening in the envelope revealed what law enforcement believed to be powdered cocaine.

The agent field tested the power, which proved to be positive for cocaine, and returned the Ziploc baggie and contents back in the envelope and resealed the package.

That night Shutes drove his pickup truck to the front gate of Crutchfield's residence and retrieved the package and sent Crutchfield a text message stating "Got it thanks."

On Jan. 17, 2018, a person who was arrested and later indicted by a federal grand jury for participating in Crutchfield's drug ring positively, James David Case, identified Shutes from a driver's license photo as a person who regularly bought cocaine from Crutchfield.

Case told investigators that he personally sold Shutes cocaine several times.

On April 12, 2018, during an interview with agents, Shutes admitted that he purchased a half ounce to one ounce of cocaine from Crutchfield every week to two weeks, typically paying $800 per ounce.

In a complaint, law enforcement wrote that they listed a minimum of 17 possible transactions between Shutes, Crutchfield and Case yielding a minimum of 17 ounces of cocaine.

Based on the evidence, investigators found probable cause to charge Shutes with trafficking in cocaine, purchasing cocaine and conspiring to traffic in cocaine. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Monday.

On Tuesday, Shutes was arrested and jailed on a bond of $25,000. He has since bonded out of jail.

Shutes is one of 10 other people who were indicted on April 3, 2018 as a part of Crutchfield's drug ring. Adam King, James Case, Shelly Baity, William Edwards, Tony Nevels, Fabien Teal, Phillip Tyre, James Atkins and James Martin Brackin have all been indicted in connection to the drug ring.