A warrant service call in a neighborhood east of Lakeland on Thursday, October 23rd, led to the arrest of a wanted felon who was allegedly found with illegal drugs and attempting to evade capture.
At approximately 7 p.m., deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) responded to a residence off Saddle Creek Road to locate Colby Roy Fudge, 33, who was wanted on an active felony warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Upon arriving at the property, deputies located Mr. Fudge in the backyard, attempting to conceal himself from law enforcement inside a shed. As deputies approached the shed, they reportedly observed Fudge toss a backpack deeper into the structure.
Fudge was quickly taken into custody. The backpack was retrieved and, upon inspection, was found to contain bags of marijuana and methamphetamine.
In addition to his initial felony warrant, Colby Fudge was transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and faces several new charges, including:
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Resisting without Violence
- Tampering with Evidence
Authorities noted that Fudge has an extensive prior criminal history, which includes prior arrests for burglary, theft, criminal mischief, weapons violations, narcotics, and criminal traffic offenses.