SPD raids McDonalds restaurant

[News Flash]

SPD raids McDonalds restaurant

SARASOTA — Undercover SPD officers stormed a McDonald's restaurant at Fruitville and Beneva and ordered diners and employees to the ground as they tried to catch a suspected cocaine dealer, Juan T. Dixon.

The officers were dressed in black, carried rifles and wore masks when they ran into the restaurant. They burst through the door at dinner time, yelled for patrons to hide under tables and chased Dixon, who hid in a bathroom.

Police say the arrest would have gone smoother if Dixon had not stopped at the door of the restaurant to go back and grab his shake from the counter.

When he got back to the door, he saw the cars waiting for him and, realizing he was about to be arrested, he ran for the bathroom.

He shoved a boy out of the way and hid inside.

A customer, a woman who did not want her name used, ducked under a table and worried that the masked men were robbers, not police.

"I thought it was a gang," she said. "I mean, they had masks and guns and I never heard anyone say, 'police.' I thought these guys were coming to rob us."

Breakstone and Sarasota Police Chief Peter Abbott say officers had no choice but to rush into the restaurant because they thought Dixon was armed and might flush the drugs down a toilet or barricade himself in the restroom.

Abbott said it is common for undercover detectives to conduct stings and drug surveillance in public places because they do not want to raise a suspect's suspicions and place officers in greater jeopardy by requesting more remote locations.

There were no injuries. Dixon was arrested and jailed on drug trafficking charges.

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[Retired n Luvin it]

I smell no more discounted food at Micky D's..

You will bet your bottom dollar that McDonalds isn't done with this.. there will be several letters and threats of civil suit sent to the city commission

Choosing a private business as a place to orchestrate a reverse drug buy~ Without the consent of the owner can lead to lotsa litigation.. Doing it inside a restraunt is a lot worse than a parking lot~~ I m glad the Chief publically supports his guys.. but I bet he's already writing a new policy on this.. My 2 cents.

I go to that McDonalds occasionaly and they never give us a discount anyway. No loss. Sorry the public was scared. Thats unfortunate. All in all, good job SPD. I mean that in a positive way.

Then go back up in your tree 'ski. An absolute hideous choice of x20 for such a miniscule bust. What did he have, half a bundle and 75 or so X pills? Jeezus !

Then go back up in your tree 'ski. An absolute hideous choice of x20 for such a miniscule bust. What did he have, half a bundle and 75 or so X pills? Jeezus !

Exactly WHERE is a good place to do a buy? At home? :roll:

ANy place where lots of kids might be. I think they should have done it at the playground. Their boss is a loose cannon.

Even worse, Breakstone is a loose cannon, he has used misguided youths who placed their trust in him, to bust low level guys for drugs. putting lives in danger is ok to him as long as it furthers his career.

You are really cleaning up the streets!! A-hole.

Even worse, Breakstone is a loose cannon, he has used misguided youths who placed their trust in him, to bust low level guys for drugs. putting lives in danger is ok to him as long as it furthers his career.

Mmmmmm a former CI said the exact same thing to me. It's one of those things that sticks in my mind.