Panhandling Complaints Lead to Gun, Drug Arrest

BRANDON, FL — Brandon residents’ complaints about panhandlers getting in the way of traffic in the area of Gornto Lake Road and Causeway Boulevard led to the arrest of a wanted felon on a long list of charges Tuesday.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies set up patrols in the area Tuesday afternoon after receiving a number of complaints from motorists. Just before 4 p.m., deputies say they came across a man with a sign that read: “Homeless, Need Help, Thanks and God Bless.” When they checked into the man’s background, they learned that James Edward Williams Jr., 41, had outstanding warrants for violation of probation on several narcotics-related charges.

Based on that information, deputies brought Williams into custody, an email from the sheriff’s office said. When they searched Williams, deputies found a Cobra 32 handgun, ammunition and “a quantity of marijuana packed in a manner indicative of sale and/or distribution,” the email said.

The marijuana, the sheriff’s office said, has an estimated street value of about $1,000. They also discovered a few credit and identification cards in Williams’ possession that didn’t belong to him, the agency reported.

Williams was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail Tuesday on possession of cannabis, possession of a controlled substance with 1,000 feet of a convenience store, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of violation of probation charges. He was being held without bond Wednesday, jail records indicate.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the credit and identification cards found in Williams’ possession. Additional charges may be pending.

Williams has no known address.

Photos courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office