Polk County, FL – A former deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office who was previously investigated for allegedly stealing money from a suspect during a traffic stop has now been arrested on new charges involving methamphetamine trafficking.
According to a newly released arrest affidavit, Justin Register, 28, is facing serious felony charges after authorities discovered 27.7 grams of methamphetamine hidden under the driver’s seat of his agency-assigned patrol vehicle. The quantity of the drug, which was found inside a clear plastic baggie, exceeds the 14-gram threshold required for trafficking charges under Florida law. He is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
The affidavit outlines how the investigation initially began in June after two deputies reported suspicious behavior involving Register during a traffic stop on June 17, 2025. Register allegedly removed a wallet from a suspect’s vehicle and was later seen in possession of it without properly documenting the evidence. The suspect and his family claimed approximately $300 was missing. The money was eventually found in the trunk of Register’s patrol car.
Following that internal investigation, deputies began reviewing cases where Register was involved, including incidents tied to methamphetamine seizures. A full audit of the Sheriff’s Office property and evidence section found no records of any such drugs being submitted in connection with Register. That prompted investigators to obtain a search warrant for his vehicle.
During the search, deputies located the clear plastic bag containing methamphetamine behind the driver’s seat—an area designated for Register’s DUI enforcement supplies, which was not accessible to detainees.
The Sheriff’s Office concluded that there was no legitimate reason for the methamphetamine to be in that location and no evidence tying the drugs to any previous arrests. Investigators were also unable to recover any fingerprints from the bag, reinforcing the theory that it had been intentionally placed there and retained unlawfully.
Register invoked his Fifth Amendment right during questioning and declined to speak further with investigators.
The former deputy, who was terminated earlier this year following the initial theft investigation, was taken into custody on July 25 and booked on charges of trafficking methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
