Florida man caught with 81 gallons of moonshine in Alabama traffic stop, police say

A Florida man is under arrest after police say he was stopped on an Alabama roadway with 81 gallons of moonshine.

Learndis Hamilton, a 61-year-old from Polk County, Fl., is charged with possession of more than five gallons of alcohol without a license, which is a felony.

Ozark police Officer Dylan Griffin, who is with the department’s Crime Suppression Unit, stopped Hamilton for a traffic violation on Jan. 9, police announced Wednesday.

Officers found Hamilton with multiple containers in his vehicle that police determined to be illegally distilled moonshine in plain sight.

Hamilton was booked into the Dale County Jail Jan. 10 with bond set at $50,000. He was released the same day.

The case was turned over to the Alabama Beverage Control Board for further investigation.

The case is set to be presented to a grand jury in March.

“Had it not been for the diligence and proactive enforcement of Officer Griffin, the prohibited liquor would have likely been sold with zero oversight or regulation,” police said in a Jan. 21 statement, “possibly leading to additional crimes.”