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Man Polk Deputies Say Ran Drug Ring Gets Life In Prison

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

TAMPA - A man investigators say led a violent ring that dealt in drugs and stolen property in Polk County was sentenced today in federal court to life in prison.

Otis Carden, known as "Cowboy," was found guilty in August of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. A federal grand jury also indicted Carden, 27, on two counts of possession of a machine gun and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The two fully automatic machine guns were recovered on Jan. 1 from a shed in Lakeland along with 16 other firearms that included a stolen service weapon of a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office and several federal agencies started investigating a theft and drug ring in 2007 they say was led by Carden and Terry "Ox" Gilmore.

Carden was arrested in Osceola County on Jan. 23 on a Polk County warrant. He had almost one-half ounce of meth – valued at $9,000 -- in his possession when arrested, the sheriff's office said.

Gilmore, whom authorities described as the muscle of the organization, was arrested Feb. 8 on charges including auto theft, resisting an officer without violence and drug possession.

The investigation led to 30 arrests in addition to those of Carden and Gilmore. Everyone else in the organization worked for the pair, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in April when the 30 arrests were made.

The investigation also led authorities to a home in Lakeland where they recovered a World War II era anti-tank weapon the sheriff's office said was fully operational.

The guns mostly were bought and sold among the members and were used for protection and intimidation, Judd said in April.

The origin of the bomb launcher remained a mystery, he said. The ring member who procured it said he bought it for $100, Judd said, "and sold it to a ringleader buddy for $400. But we don't know where it came from."

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