(Marion County, FL) Today, jurors returned a guilty verdict in the trial of 42-year-old Jefferey Randolph Grubbs, who was charged with Trafficking Fentanyl and Possession of Paraphernalia. Grubbs was sentenced by Judge Timothy McCourt to 30 years in prison on his trafficking conviction plus a consecutive year in jail for the paraphernalia charge, as well as a $100,000 fine.

Back in September of 2022, Officer Matthews of the Ocala Police Department (OPD) observed a silver car with inoperable tag lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver of the car was identified as Grubbs through his driver’s license.

During the traffic stop, OPD K9 Officer Prather deployed his K9 partner Graham to conduct an open-air sniff around the vehicle. When the K9 alerted to the front passenger side door of the vehicle, the defendant was asked to step out. As Grubbs was exiting the vehicle, officers observed a cigarette box the defendant had previously been fidgeting with between the seats.

The box was retrieved and inside, officials observed a bill folded that held a crystal-like substance. Grubbs was then placed in handcuffs and searched. In the defendant’s pocket, law enforcement located a clear plastic bag with gray residue inside. The residue tested positive for fentanyl. The defendant was arrested and transported to jail.

While booking the suspect into the detention facility, a glass pipe fell from the defendant’s person. The paraphernalia was collected and the defendant informed deputies that he had something else on him. A body scan of Grubbs revealed he was hiding another item, which was later retrieved and determined to be a trafficking amount of fentanyl.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Samuel Militello and William Hodges.

Published on 09/03/2025.