College Student Arrested In Drug Bust at Stetson University House

DELAND, Florida -- A bag full of hundreds of oxycodone pills was found along with marijuana and other drug paraphernalia Wednesday in a rental house at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, resulting in three young men arrested and sent to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

The Volusia County Sheriff Office says an anonymous tip sparked an investigation by the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force that resulted in the execution of a narcotics search warrant at 216 E. University Avenue.  In addition to the drugs, cash and guns were also seized.

After receiving the tip about drug activity at the house, officials say investigators conducted a successful undercover buy of marijuana there in early May.  The alleged seller was 21-year-old college student Caleb Sutherland who lived at the house.  Afterward, investigators continued to collect evidence until they had enough to obtain a search warrant on Monday signed by Circuit Court Judge Hubert Grimes. 

First thing Wednesday morning, the Task Force executed the warrant and found Sutherland along with 19-year-old Neco Caine and 21-year-old Adolph Michelin.  Each man’s room was searched and officials say that in Caine’s bedroom the bag containing 311 oxycodone pills was found.  Sutherland’s room had some marijuana and drug paraphernalia in it while Michelin’s room had marijuana, more than $1,000 cash and three guns.

Michelin was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Sutherland was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and sale of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.  Caine was charged with trafficking in a schedule II substance (oxycodone), possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The West Volusia Narcotics Task Force is a multi-agency force of investigators from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and DeLand Police Department that shares resources and crosses jurisdictional boundaries to combat street-level drug and vice crimes.