Devarus O’Shea Bethea is a 31-year-old resident of Hazelnut Street in Bunnell who’s been sent to state prison three times in the past 10 years, every time on cocaine-sale charges. During that span he’s been booked at the Flagler County jail a dozen times.
He was last released from state prison in February 2017, and had remained off the cops’ radar until just after Christmas, when he was arrested again on the same sort of cocaine charges (possession, selling, manufacturing) that landed him in prison previously. The Dec. 26 arrest took place on East Court Street in Bunnell after a broken headlight on the car Bethea was driving drew the attention of a deputy. He was driving on a suspended license. He was charged with three felonies and two misdemeanors, and two days later bonded out.
On Friday, he was arrested again. A deputy on patrol in the area of County Road 13 saw Bethea allegedly fail to come to a complete stop at a stop sign and pulled him over. The deputy had recognized Bethea and was aware that his license had been suspended. Immediately after pulling the vehicle over, the deputy noticed Bethea hopping into the back seat of the car, and a woman get into the driver’s seat. The deputy observed Bethea “moving around within the interior of the vehicle frantically, even after giving the occupants of the vehicle commands to put their hands up in the vehicle,” the deputy reported.
The deputy drew out his Taser and held it near Bethea until additional law enforcement units arrived. A search of the car allegedly produced a digital scale with pot residue on it and trace amounts of pot elsewhere. Had matters ended there, Bethea would have faced just a new charge of driving on a suspended license with knowledge and a citation for running the stop sign.
He does face a felony charge of driving on a suspended license. But as another deputy drove him to the county jail for booking, Bethea reportedly made direct threats against the deputy who’d pulled him over. The deputy, he said, “is going to catch a bag and I swear to god that nigga is going to get what’s coming to him,” Bethea is quoted as saying in his arrest report. “I’m going to get niggas to put a bag over that nigga’s wife, his fuckin kids all his fuckin family is going to catch a bag. I swear to god on my momma, that nigga is going to get what’s coming to him.”
Threatening a law enforcement officer is a first-degree misdemeanor, which was added to Bethea’s list of charges, now 10 in all. He was booked at the jail early Saturday morning. He remains there on $5,000 bond.
ASF says
Not the sharpest tool in the shed but certainly one whose blade should be sheathed for a GOOD LONG TIME.
Concerned Citizen says
The Justice system certainly has it’s priorities wrong.
A felony for suspended DL but a misdemeanor for threatning a Deputy and his family? As well as a low bond?
This is what’s wrong. now a days. Our Justice system is sending the wrong messages to perpatrators.
Really says
How many more times Will the Judicial system fail on this reprobate. Send him away already.
Steve says
Should be 50000$$ SMH
Steve Vanne says
Why is this loser walking the streets.
Steve says
Coward
Fernando Melendez says
Our law enforcement does their job, may god bless each and everyone of them, only to have our judicial system not follow up and let these culprits back on the streets again. When does it end?
Trailer Bob says
It amazes me just how many laws one can break and remain loose on the streets. This POS should be locked away for 20 years. Seems, that for some reason, people get too many second chances here. This has to change before things get better.
ASF says
This perp made references to gang ties. Those ties should be followed up on. Perhaps that is what law enforcement is hoping for–to turn this guy into an informant. He seems like the type that would play both sides of the fence–without being able to be trusted by anybody.
BLACK power says
So this is just a response to years of systematic White suppremcy and hatred PTSD is hereditary do is metal illnes maby his word would have been different if police went openly racist and hate and fear Blacks due to due to their own pycopathic thoughts passed down by their own DNA
Willy Boy says
What? There’s a revolving door in that prison. What happened to 3 strikes your out?
Steve says
Might want to check your facts. According to Medical Research trauma from which PTSD is derived cannot be inherited. Second, White Supremacy has nothing to do with your friends bad decisions in his life. Lets hope he gets some time away to think about how he might spend the rest of it.