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Brooksville Man Indicted In Drug, Gun Trafficking Case

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TBO.com

Published: October 1, 2008

TAMPA - A Brooksville man accused of crashing a stolen truck into a deputy's patrol car in March was indicted Wednesday on charges of drug and gun trafficking, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Leslie Ray Collins, 27, was charged with conspiracy to possess and possession of methamphetamine, and the use of firearms — including a machine gun — during a drug trafficking crime, prosecutors said. Collins faces a minimum sentence of 35 years in prison and a $2 million fine.

Also indicted Wednesday was Mary Beth Johnson, 25, of New Port Richey. Prosecutors say she was an accomplice in the drug crimes. She faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a $2 million fine.

Collins and Johnson were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine in the Tampa Bay area, according to the indictment. The Hernando County Sheriff's Office issued a search warrant on Collins' home March 5. Methamphetamine, a 9 mm handgun, a machine gun and other related items were seized, authorities said. Collins was not home at the time of the search.

On March 6, Pasco County deputies found Collins, and he led them on a high-speed chase in a stolen truck, prosecutors said. During the chase, Collins swerved the truck into the path of an oncoming sheriff's office cruiser, crashing into the patrol car and injuring the deputy, authorities said.

Deputies say they found a bag inside the truck that contained 40 grams of cocaine and 58 grams of crystal meth.

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