On this day, June 29, in 1984, the FBI declared the Key West (Fla.) Police Department “a criminal enterprise” for what became known as the “Bubba Bust.”
Deputy Police Chief Raymond Casamayor Jr. and two detectives later were found guilty of running a protection racket for drug smugglers.
The $16 million cocaine business was headquartered at city hall, where a drug dealer testified he routinely delivered cocaine in Burger King bags to Casamayor.
During the sensational 20-week trial, the government’s star witness was arrested on the stand for concealing a crime from the government, while entrepreneurs outside hawked T-shirts: “I Survived the Bubba Bust Trial.”
Twelve people were convicted, including Casamayor, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
— Scott McCabe
