Florida Cops Stole Drugs and Cash From Evidence Room, Replaced Them With Fakes and Sold Real Drugs in Massive $420,000 Scheme

Two Florida cops are facing the full wrath of the law from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida after they committed fraud, tax evasion and distribution of narcotics.

James Hickox, a former task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pleaded guilty on drug-related and fraud charges on Jan. 27 and has been sentenced to more than 17 years behind bars.

According to reports from WTLV and the Miami Herald, the 38-year-old Jacksonville man worked for the Nassau County Deputy Sheriff's Office on top of his DEA role. Hickox, along with co-conspirator Joshua Earrey, were both arrested in March of 2023 for drug crimes. Earrey worked as a Florida Highway Patrol as well as for the DEA.

Court records say Hickox and Earrey stole money and illegal drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, from evidence collected during investigations back in 2017.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said they took more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana and provided drugs to others to sell and make a profit. Hickox then hid $420,000 he had accumulated from drug sales from the IRS.

When law enforcement searched Hickox's home, they found fake drugs and real drugs, along with four stolen firearms in a marked DEA evidence bag, according to a complaint.

Both Hickox and Earrey pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute narcotics and conspiring to defraud the U.S. Additionally, Hickox pleaded guilty to evading taxes while Earrey pleaded guilty for possessing firearms and ammunition while an unlawful user of of controlled substances.

Hickox was sentenced on Jan. 27 while Earrey is scheduled for sentencing on April 9, court records show.

The pair of cops would steal both cash and drugs during traffic stops during searches in north Florida, federal investigators said in court documents. They used their privileges as DEA task force officers to search storage units, freight shipments and vehicles.

Prosecutors argue that when seizing cash during stops, Hickox and Earrey would skim money off the top—as much as $15,000 at times—before putting the rest in evidence and logging fake amounts.

Officials said Hickox would at times take drugs that were being sent for destruction and keep them for himself. The Herald details that, in some cases, Hickox used confidential informants who thought were helping the sheriff's office by selling drugs he would give to them. He is accused of doing this on at least 50 occasions.

"He betrayed the oath he took to become a police officer and lost his career," Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a statement. "He also let down his co-workers and our community. It's law enforcement officers who do stupid things like this that erodes the confidence and trust in our profession by our citizens," Leeper added.