# Winter Haven officer accused of taking marijuana bud



## FruityBud (Jan 20, 2011)

A Winter Haven police officer was arrested and suspended Wednesday after he took a marijuana bud from a large quantity of marijuana that police had seized in an investigation, the Winter Haven Police Department said.

Ricardo Flores, 36, was charged with burglary of a conveyance, petty theft and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams. He was booked into the Polk County Jail and being held without bail, according to the jail website.

Flores, who has worked for Winter Haven as a police officer since 2006, was at the police department about 7:10 p.m. Wednesday. He had just ended his shift when detectives were unloading evidence from a truck.

As the evidence was being processed for storage, Flores, who was not involved in the investigation in this case, walked up to the pickup and took a marijuana bud from a plant and concealed it, police said. Flores left the police department in his personal vehicle.

Another officer said he saw what Flores did, and Flores was contacted by detectives and asked to return to the station.

When he returned, detectives recovered the marijuana bud from Flores and detained him.

"I'm extremely disappointed with Flores, his criminal conduct and arrogance to think that the laws do not apply to him," said Winter Haven police Chief Gary Hester said.

*hxxp://tinyurl.com/5wakgpk*


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## The New Girl (Jan 20, 2011)

Live by the sword...


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## ozzydiodude (Jan 20, 2011)

Sound like he was one of the take your bag and sent you down the highway cops


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## the chef (Jan 20, 2011)

What a smuck! Glad to see the news still rolling! Thnx FB!


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## TexasMonster (Jan 21, 2011)

Dang, without bail though? Thats kinda harsh. I guess they figured its a bigger deal when an officer does it?

Thanks FruityBud for continuing to bring us the new. Here, hold this :48:


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## Mutt (Jan 21, 2011)

Florida has some tough laws..one of the toughest in the nation.


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## PencilHead (Jan 21, 2011)

Mutt said:
			
		

> Florida has some tough laws..one of the toughest in the nation.


 
You're preaching to the choir, Mutt. We did get our mandantory up from 20 plants to 25.

Unfortunately, besides Graham Parsons, this is about the only newsworthy thing to have ever come outta Winter Haven.


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## FruityBud (Mar 22, 2011)

A former Winter Haven police officer paid a huge price for stealing a marijuana bud.

He lost his career.

Ricardo Flores, 36, accepted a plea deal Friday on charges that he stole a small amount of marijuana seized from a grow house.

He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of cannabis.

As part of a plea deal, he must give up his law enforcement credentials and serve a year of probation.

Chip Thullbery, a spokesman with the State Attorney's Office in Bartow, said the plea agreement was appropriate because Flores must give up his career in law enforcement.

Prosecutors also took into consideration during plea negotiations the small amount of marijuana involved in the case, said Thullbery.

Chief Gary Hester said he was happy that Flores can no longer serve as a law enforcement officer, and the profession is better off without him.

Flores violated a position of trust, and his actions demonstrate a significant character flaw, Hester said.

He said he was he was proud of his officers for doing the right thing by not tolerating the illegal actions of a colleague.

"No one is above the law," Hester said.

Fellow officers accused Flores, a motorcycle officer, of stealing a marijuana bud by hiding it inside his helmet, records show.

The bud was part of a much larger seizure of about 250 marijuana plants from a house near Old Lucerne Park Road.

The plants were hauled to the police station in a city pickup truck. Flores, who was not part of the grow house investigation, was accused of taking the bud from a plant on the parked truck.

Flores was hired in December 2006 and paid $41,309 per year. He resigned after his Jan. 20 arrest.

*hxxp://tinyurl.com/5w9wft2*


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