Security guard jailed after police say he ran meth house near West Palm Beach daycare
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. A West Palm Beach security guard is behind bars after investigators say he was running a crystal meth operation out of his apartment near Division Ave and 13th Street.
Detectives with the West Palm Beach Police Department say the probe began after apartment residents and Crimestoppers tips alerted them to drug activity at the apartment of 26-year-old Christian Padilla.
Police say the investigation began as controlled buys where an undercover agent bought crack cocaine and crystal meth from Padilla.
In one instance, on March 25, an undercover agent says they purchased an ounce of crystal meth for $850.
The apartment’s location was also a cause for concern, as it was less than 1,000 feet from several daycares, per police.
Parents whose children attend the daycare facilities reacted.
“It’s kind of scary being that we sometimes walk here you never really know what’s going on,” said one mom.
“You never know if a pack could be on the floor or something like that and my kids could pick it up,” said another mom. “You know, what if they put it in their mouth.”
Although parents were shocked to hear about the meth operation, they said a major problem in the community which needs to be addressed is the amount of homeless and transient wandering the neighborhoods and nearby gas station.
“Over by the gas station there’s a lot of homeless people,” stated a daycare mom. “I actually saw a woman that was pregnant and homeless so it does kind of bother me. I feel like the community could do a lot more for people like that.”
Padilla was subsequently booked into Palm Beach County Jail on Monday for counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, intent to distribute, using a two-way communication device for criminal activity, and maintaining a drug house.
