Jason Futch
reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
A known convicted felon was arrested on Thursday, April 17, after being seen in front of Holy Cross Christian Academy acting suspiciously. Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies arrested 41-year-old Live Oak resident Joshua Lee Walters for several drug-related charges, as well as possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. According to a social media post by SCSO, Deputy Wesley Stofel responded to a call while off-duty to Holy Cross Christian Academy, where Walters appeared to act suspiciously in front of the school while pulling a small trailer. Live Oak Police Department Officer Thomas Kittrell confirmed with Stofel that Walters was a convicted felon and had a warrant for his arrest in Suwannee County. While deputies were working to confirm Walters’s warrant, Deputy Ayla Creech responded to the scene. According to the report, Walters sat on the ground, took his grey backpack off his back and opened it, retrieving a small black zippered pouch. Once deputies confirmed his warrant, they asked Walters to stand up so he could be secured. As he stood up, Walters bent over, and Deputy Stofel observed what appeared to be a glass smoking device in his front right pocket. After Deputy Stofel’s observation, Deputy Sergeant Mike Landis began searching through Walters’s backpack and located a baggie with four nine-millimeter rounds and two .380 ammunition rounds. He also located a small clear plastic baggie in the top zipper of the pocket containing a brown powder substance. Another baggie with a smaller amount of the same substance was also located. Both baggies were field tested, yielding positive for fentanyl. A black zipper pouch was also located, containing three round containers with an oil substance, one container testing positive for marijuana. In the same black zipper pouch, a small clear yellow baggie containing a crystal-like substance was located and field tested, resulting in a positive reading for methamphetamine. After conducting a criminal history check, confirming his prior felony convictions and warrant for a violation of probation, Walters was arrested and transported to the Suwannee County Jail, where he is being held on the violation of probation warrant, as well as possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.