Between 1988 and 1990, the Broward county sheriff’s office (BSO) in Florida manufactured and sold crack cocaine as part of a controversial sting operation to arrest people for purchasing the illegal drug. Many of those who are arrested for purchasing the BSO-made drugs were given lengthy prison sentences. The Florida supreme court declared the operation unlawful in 1993, but many people still have criminal charges or convictions on their records.

Now, the Broward county state attorney, Harold F Pryor, seeks to bring justice to those affected by the operation. Last week Pryor, the first Black state attorney in Broward and the first Black man to be elected state attorney in Florida, announced plans to vacate as many as 2,600 convictions linked to the drug sting operation.

“The methods used by law enforcement and society to combat drug dealing in our community have evolved since that era,” Pryor said in a statement. “These records may be a dim memory or an unfortunate part of history to many, but they have had a long-lasting and severe impact on the lives of the people who were arrested – as well as their families and the wider community.”

Before the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 Act, which reduced the statutory penalties for crack cocaine offenses, five grams of crack cocaine possession resulted in a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and 28 grams of the drug resulted in a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.

Some buyers, who were disproportionately from vulnerable communities, faced enhanced charges for purchasing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school – receiving mandatory prison sentences of at least three years.

“They had detention deputies posing as dealers … These poor people who were addicts were buying it,” the defense lawyer Ed Hoeg, who represented Leon Williams, the man whose appeal led to the supreme court ruling, said to the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale.

There is no indication, the Broward county state attorneys office said in a statement, that many of the cases were ever formally vacated, which means that people who were swept up in the scheme may still be living with repercussions for the charges.

Pryor sent a letter to the current Broward county sheriff, Gregory Tony, notifying him of his intentions. “These matters were well before our tenures,” Pryor wrote. “However, I am of the opinion that the State has an ethical duty and obligation to correct this injustice before destruction [of old records] is initiated.” Pryor has said that Tony supports the plan.

Due to the number of people affected by the sting, the state attorney’s office is estimating it will take a considerable amount of time to review the paper files and determine people’s eligibility to seal or expunge their records.

In the statement announcing his plan, Pryor said, “It is never too late to do the right thing.”

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

35-37-40-45-51, Powerball: 24, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

07-17-28-44-54, Powerball: 08

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

20-26-33-43-54, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Midday: 09-16-20-25-27

Evening: 03-16-29-31-36

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Morning: 04

Matinee: 04

Afternoon: 12

Evening: 10

Late Night: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Midday: 9-5, FB: 5

Evening: 6-8, FB: 2

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Midday: 9-8-0, FB: 5

Evening: 8-4-0, FB: 2

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Midday: 9-4-2-1, FB: 5

Evening: 7-0-0-7, FB: 2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 9 drawing

Midday: 2-6-2-1-3, FB: 5

Evening: 4-5-7-2-5, FB: 2

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

• Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
• Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
• Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

• Full name
• City of residence
• Game won
• Date won
• Amount won
• Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

• Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
• Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
• Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
• Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
• Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
• Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

When Caitlin Clark moved on to the WNBA, most people assumed that USC star JuJu Watkins, second in points last season, would become the nation’s leading scorer. But it’s not Watkins who leads women’s college basketball this year — it’s Flordia State’s Ta’Niya Latson.

Latson’s been quietly on a tear, shredding up opposing defenses without fear to the tune of 28.6 points and five rebounds a game. Her silky smooth release and impressive body control allow her to work in any space. She’s shooting 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range, helping Florida State become the number two scoring offense in college basketball.

What’s more, Latson’s high basketball IQ on the court has helped her recently put up a triple-double against Gonzaga on November 30th and drop back-to-back 30-point games (bringing her total to four for the season) in just ten matchups. If you’ve been sleeping on Ta’Niya Latson, you might want to start paying attention.