Fourth Defendant In Fentanyl Trafficking Case Gets 20 Years

PANAMA CITY, FL – A fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking case that started with a traffic stop last year has now resulted in a fourth person being sentenced to prison, State Attorney, Larry Basford, announced. 

Willie Goldsmith, 39, of Lynn Haven, pled no contest and was adjudicated guilty of Trafficking in Fentanyl (more than 14 grams but less than 28 grams), and Trafficking in Amphetamine (28 grams or more). Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark accepted the plea and sentenced Goldsmith to 20 years in prison. Judge Clark also ordered a $100,000 fine.

Goldsmith was set for trial last week. Prosecutor Frank Sullivan was prepared to call witnesses and present evidence that the defendant was in possession of a large quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine when he drove away from a co-defendant’s residence April 6, 2024.  Goldsmith entered his plea the day of jury selection.

The evidence would have shown that on April 4, 2024, Alicia Ducker, 30, of Panama City, was pulled over by Panama City Police for a traffic violation and not wearing her seatbelt. She behaved erratically, and K9 Rambo alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle.

Ducker was found to be hiding methamphetamine and fentanyl in her underwear. She said she got them from Anthony Polly, 43, who lived nearby. Ducker has since pled and was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Police set up surveillance on Polly’s apartment and obtained a search warrant. On April 6, they saw Polly exit his apartment and get into Goldsmith’s truck, where they sat for about 5 minutes.

Goldsmith pulled out and was stopped for a traffic violation. K9 Rambo alerted for the presence of drugs and police found about 64 grams of methamphetamine and about 60 grams of fentanyl in the truck.

Officers then served the search warrant on Polly’s residence and found about 78 grams of methamphetamine in 4 baggies, and nearly 17 grams of fentanyl. Polly admitted to selling the drugs to Ducker two days earlier.

Polly pled to Trafficking in Fentanyl and Methamphetamine and received a 15-year sentence.

A second person in the residence, Andy Lee Rhodes, was found to have a small amount of methamphetamine. He has since pled and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Basford thanked Panama City police for their proactive work and quick reaction that resulted in the arrests and seizures.