Rafael Then Jr., 33, of Belleview, was found guilty by a jury of trafficking methamphetamine. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, comes after a joint undercover operation by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department’s Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Judge Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky took him into custody immediately after the verdict and will hold him until his sentence hearing. The conviction originates from his arrest on July 31, 2023, for selling a large amount of methamphetamine to an undercover investigator.
The inquiry prompted law enforcement to conduct a controlled buy at a Marion Oaks business. According to court records, Then arrived in a purple Dodge Charger and entered the undercover officer’s vehicle to conduct the transaction.
Following the sale, the drugs were stored as evidence and transported to a DEA laboratory for analysis. The drug tested positive for methamphetamine, which led to Then’s arrest and prosecution.
Assistant State Attorney Samuel Armstrong spearheaded the prosecution of the case, and the State Attorney’s Office thanked all law enforcement personnel who assisted with the investigation.
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