Putnam deputies arrest 2, seize 1.4 lbs. of cocaine

Deputies say men arrested in Publix parking lot attemptint to sell cocaine

PALATKA, Fla. – Deputies say two men have been arrested during an undercover investigation that also resulted in 636 grams of cocaine being seized.

Detectives with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration concluded their investigation Friday that led to the arrest of 45-year-old Kenneth Grimsley and 36-year-old Raymond Bryant.

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The two were arrested in a Publix parking lot in Palatka as deputies said they attempted to sell the cocaine.

Putnam County Sheriff's Office's booking photos of Kenneth Grimsley and Raymond Bryant.

Grimsley and Bryant (pictured, right) were charged with trafficking in cocaine and were booked into the Putnam County Jail. They are being held without bond.

If convicted, deputies said the charges carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. The roughly half kilogram of cocaine -- about 1.4 pounds -- has a street value of $23,000, according to PCSO.

"I am sincerely appreciative of the effort these detectives and agents undertook to get this cocaine off our streets," said Sheriff Jeff Hardy. "I am also pleased with the relationship we have with the DEA and am proud to work alongside all of these outstanding law enforcement officers."