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Drugs in bra came back to haunt her
A woman turns herself in 26 years after trying to smuggle quaaludes into a prison.
By HELEN ANNE TRAVIS, Times Staff Writer
Published September 27, 2007
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Gloria Drought, 65, turns herself in on a 23-year outstanding warrant.
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LAND O'LAKES - Gloria Drought went to visit her husband in prison and thought she'd take him a little present tucked inside her bra.
Big mistake.
Next thing she knew, a guard ordered her to strip.
The quaaludes fell out, and she spent a few hours in jail herself.
On Wednesday, 26 years later, she was back behind bars. It was either that or forget about drawing Social Security benefits.
Drought, now 65, drove 10 hours from Commerce, Ga., and turned herself in to Pasco County deputies Tuesday after she received a letter saying she would lose her Social Security benefits because there was a 22-year-old warrant for her arrest.
Back in 1981, Drought said she and her husband, Skip, had arranged during an open visit at the Zephyrhills Correctional Institute, where he was serving time, for her to bring quaaludes to the prison. They had been married only a few months.
Drought was caught, arrested and put on two years' probation.
But around Christmas 1984, she moved from Tampa to California, violating her probation. Her husband was out of prison by then. They worked odd jobs on the West Coast for 20 years.
Drought said she never thought about her Pasco probation.
"After a while I thought maybe it went away," she said.
In 2004 the couple moved to Georgia, and last week she received a letter in the mail.
Her Social Security benefits would be terminated because of the outstanding warrant.
She couldn't afford to lose her benefits. So she said goodbye to Skip on Monday night and did the only thing she could think of - turn herself in to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
She cried a lot during the drive. She thought about money and bail and Skip.
But she doesn't blame her husband.
"It was so long ago," she said. "Why would I be mad at him?"
Late Wednesday, Drought said her blood pressure was too high and she did not have access to her medicine. She couldn't reach her husband on his cell phone and was unable to make the $10,000 bail.
"I don't have any money," she said.
Helen Anne Travis can be reached at 352 521-6518 or htravis@sptimes.com
[Last modified September 26, 2007, 22:58:30]
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by Jim
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10/02/07 10:12 PM
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You know it's kind of funny how a NATIONAL Newspaper (I use that term lie first to cghtly), like say, the USAToday can allow posts WITHOUT censorship on their web site...and the LIBERAL rag you are, can not.
So much for the 1st Amendment.
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by Jim
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10/02/07 10:05 PM
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She snuck quaaludes into the jail to her PRISONER boyfriend...and some of you can't see what is wrong with that?
Ever heard of the saying, "going to heck in a handbasket"!!! With folks like this, that's where we're going.
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by Jim
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10/02/07 10:01 PM
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Oh, Boo Hoo, she got away with it for 26 years. She's lived her life on the state's time, now let the state get their time.
If I do a crime and stay on the lam for 26 year, I'll get off too, hmmm. Where's the nearest bank?
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by Nick
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10/01/07 10:57 PM
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While normally I'm a "Law&Order" kind of person, I can't really see what would prevent her from being released until she can see a judge and let the judge decide what is appropriate. I mean, she turned herself in and doesn't seem like a flight risk.
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by susan
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10/01/07 04:44 PM
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yes she should be punished. but what kind of society are we living in to where she cant get proper medical attention. all you people that have not got caught for whatever crime you have committed. and we all know that 99.9 people have done wrong.
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by joanne
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10/01/07 07:59 AM
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give me a break they don't have better criminals too lockup they have to go after an old woman who is no harm to anyone. that is florida justice system it stinks. she turn herself in and they can't even let her out on her own. shame on florida.
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by L. Ranger
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09/28/07 01:07 PM
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Where is King Solomon when you need him? This story points out everything that is wrong with our justice system. The woman should be freed on her own recog. and the warrant dropped. she is no danger to society.
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by Aida
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09/28/07 09:33 AM
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How sad....
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by Tom
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09/28/07 09:29 AM
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The county and fed governments are ready to lock up an old woman for a minor infraction over 20yrs ago. This is our Police State. County get's $200/day of tax payer money to lock her up. IS IT REALLY WORTH IT????????????
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by J
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09/28/07 08:38 AM
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It sounds like some sort of sob story when she did it to herself. Who tries tries to bring drugs into jail? Also, who thinks that charge just "drop" out of the blue?
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by Me
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09/27/07 07:19 PM
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Maybe Paris Hilton can give her some tips on how to get out of jail fast.
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by dick
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09/27/07 02:59 PM
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the law will always catch up with you.
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by Dee
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09/27/07 12:31 PM
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Let her go she has not got into anymore trouble save the taxpayers some money .
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by Mary
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09/27/07 12:19 PM
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this proves my point ... nobody gets away with anything!!
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by Sal
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09/27/07 12:03 PM
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Better late than never. I say we give her time served and let her get on her way home.
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by John
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09/27/07 11:21 AM
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Once again "Justice" is served! Yea right put em' jail-well at least she wasn't TASAR'ed-that we know of!
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by Rey
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09/27/07 11:02 AM
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This where justice has to be tempered by mercy or it is not justice at all.
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by jamie
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09/27/07 10:45 AM
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Lets get real here, she has not even had a brush with the law in 26 years? This is a very effective use of our tax dollars. Rorer stopped making 714"s in the early 80"s for Christs sake.
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by H Man
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09/27/07 10:39 AM
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Yeah Pasco, take these hardend dangerous criminals off the streets. I feel much safer now. Good work!
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by Jane
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09/27/07 10:25 AM
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Intrducing contraband into a prison is a BIG deal! Violating probation is a BIG deal! I'm concerned about the approach the writer is taking. These are crimes and she needs to be punished for them.
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by David
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09/27/07 10:17 AM
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This is ridiculous. What a waste of time and resources. Let this woman live her life WITH her SS benefits.
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by Steve
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09/27/07 09:57 AM
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Alright! I'll be sleeping peacefully tonight knowing that this sick elderly lady is behind bars. Another great job by law enforcement!
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by jj
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09/27/07 09:05 AM
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i dont know her back ground history. bit that was 22 years ago. let her go.if she is an up standing citizen. more worst crimes are being done. and getting away with it. you need a lawyer and money. so you can get off and break the law again.
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by ann
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09/27/07 08:56 AM
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Ole Skip sure sounds like a winner - Hmmmmmm He better remember "Satand by your woman"
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by mikey
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09/27/07 08:48 AM
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Are we supposed to feel sorry for her????
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by HCB
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09/27/07 08:26 AM
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why the high bail? She came back voluntarily and the government has said it will terminate SS benefits. She's no flight risk. And, by the way, why not just turn her loose? There're bad people who need the cell a lot worse than she does.
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by John
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09/27/07 08:03 AM
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"I don't have any money, she said." TOUGH. She absconded, and the only reason she turned herself in is because she would lose her government benefits. Yet another low-life scum just looking to live off of taxpayers. She deserves jail, period. Loser!
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by howie
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09/27/07 07:38 AM
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I'D venture to say they skiped off to cali to get away from their wrong doings and now they have been found ,,boy the law never lets up.. oh well now she has to suffer with out her meds,,should have taken care of this many yrs ago...
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by greg
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09/27/07 07:32 AM
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You can't get more stupid than her story.
"I thought it would go away".
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