Convicted felon sentenced for high-speed chase that led to major drug bust in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS12) — A convicted felon in Tallahassee has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after a high-speed chase led to the discovery of various illegal drugs and nearly $3,000 in cash.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday that Darrell Lee has been convicted of multiple counts of distributing five or more grams of methamphetamine and violating federal supervised release following a 2016 federal firearms conviction.

Court documents show that despite being released from federal prison in July 2021, Lee, along with others, was involved in obtaining and distributing high-purity methamphetamine in Florida.

In May 2023, the Justice Department said Lee sold smaller amounts of methamphetamine in three targeted drug operations. The investigation reached its peak on May 25, 2023, when the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Lee. After the first stop, Lee fled, leading to a foot chase. His abandoned car was later found to contain several illegal drugs and nearly $3,000 in cash.

According to court records, Lee was arrested later that evening at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee, but police were confronted by a woman who shot them. Tallahassee police said the officers returned fire and the woman was struck and killed.

According to the Justice Department, Lee’s 128-month sentence includes four years of supervised release after the prison term ends.

The case was investigated by multiple agencies, including the DEA, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant US Attorney Eric Mountain prosecuted the case.

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