A Florida Uber driver is facing felony drug charges after trying to sell mushrooms and LSD to undercover narcotics investigators visiting Walton County for a conference.
In August 2023, Walton County held the Florida Narcotics Officers’ Association Annual Conference in Miramar Beach.
Visiting for the conference, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office investigators requested an Uber to take them to dinner.
The Uber, driven by 52-year-old John Alcott, of Crestview, smelled of marijuana when the CCSO detectives got in the vehicle. When they began chatting with Alcott, he told them he had Psilocybin mushrooms for sale and opened his glove compartment revealing a large bag of mushrooms to which the detectives declined.
The CCSO investigators contacted Walton County Sheriff’s Office VICE/Narcotics Investigators who were also attending the conference. A plan was developed to conduct an undercover purchase from Alcott the following day.
During the buy, Alcott sold the CCSO investigators 134 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms, 10 Psilocybin mushroom capsules, and 12 doses of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) for $1,000. During the purchase, Alcott told detectives he would be willing to mail a supply as well.
In cooperation with WCSO, the CCSO detectives remained in contact with Alcott over the next several months. An investigation revealed Alcott’s Uber services took him from Destin to Panama City Beach. They told Alcott they would be coming back to the Miramar Beach area for a vacation in February and would want to purchase more mushrooms and LSD.
On February 21st, Walton County Sheriff’s Office VICE/Narcotics Investigators had the undercover CCSO detective reach out to Alcott to tell him they were in the area and organized a buy for more than a quarter pound of mushrooms and 200 doses of LSD in exchange for $5,000.
WCSO Narcotics Investigators, Investigators with the Crestview Police Department, and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office set up surveillance on Alcott’s residence in Crestview, Florida.
Alcott was observed leaving his residence en route to meet the undercover CCSO detective.
When Alcott neared the meeting location, a Walton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic stop. Alcott was placed under arrest for warrants stemming from the first undercover purchase.
WCSO K9 “Kenny” was called in to assist and alerted on the vehicle. A search of Alcott’s car resulted in the recovery of the mushrooms and LSD intended for sale to the undercover detective.
“While these types of cases aren’t the primary focus of our VICE/Narcotics investigations, this one kind of came to us,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “He obviously makes it a habit to sell while driving an Uber and that’s pretty alarming considering how teenagers and young adults frequently use driving services in the area.”
Alcott was arrested and booked into the Walton County Jail on two counts of selling a hallucinogen (mushrooms and LSD), trafficking in LSD, possession of a hallucinogen with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of using a two-way communication device in the commission of a felony. He was issued a $15,000 bond and released the following day.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and Crestview Police for their assistance in this investigation.
