A Leon County School resource deputy federally charged in connection to a large-scale drug operation out of his son’s Tallahassee home accepted a plea deal.
Bill Culpepper Jr., 56, pleaded guilty to two of the seven charges against him: possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm. Under this deal, the former deputy faces up to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special monetary assessment.
“The government agrees to dismiss the remaining counts at the time of sentencing,” the plea agreement says.
The other charges included more counts of possession of an unregistered firearm and two counts of possession a machine gun during a violent crime or drug trafficking crime.
The court will decide Culpepper’s sentence in January.
Culpepper was arrested in March and federally indicted in September after officers confiscated over 40 pounds of marijuana, 12 pounds of THC concentrate, over 2.5 pounds of substances like cocaine, 12 firearms and roughly $60,000 in cash, from his son’s house, according to court records.
An informant told police that Garret Culpepper’s street name was “Immune” because he “believes he is immune from arrest or prosecution because his father working in law enforcement,” as previously reported.
Culpepper would park his marked sheriff’s car in his driveway to deter people from robbing him and would also store his son’s marijuana and drug proceeds at his house, according to court records.
His son, Garret, 25, was arrested on charges of marijuana trafficking in excess of 25 pounds or 300 plants, drug possession, drug producing, possession of paraphernalia and public order crimes.
Prior to his arrest, Culpepper was a resource deputy at Woodville Pre-K through eighth grade. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office terminated him shortly after his arrest.
Even though he accepted a deal in the federal court, Culpepper pleaded not guilty to his state charges. Garret is also still facing state charges.
Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Former Leon County School resource deputy accepts plea deal after federal drug bust
Reporting by Elena Barrera, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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