Charges against a Jacksonville woman, accused of shooting a police officer during a high-risk search warrant in 2020, have been dismissed due to the involvement of a Nassau County detective who has been indicted on drug-related charges.
The drug raid, orchestrated by former Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Detective James Hickox, took place near Ribault High School, with Hickox and former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Earrey, both members of the same DEA task force, facing federal indictment on drug charges.
Diamonds Ford and her fiancé, Anthony Gantt, were arrested following the incident, in which a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office SWAT team member was injured by a bullet fired from a gun wielded by Ford through a window. Despite the officer’s survival, both Gantt and Ford were charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, charges that have now been dropped.
According to the Department of Justice, Hickox was involved in the illicit appropriation of drugs and cash, while Earrey was aiding him and misusing prescription drugs for his back pain. The State Attorney’s Office (SAO) concluded that the involvement of the two investigators had irreparably tainted the case, rendering the likelihood of securing a conviction implausible.
In the disposition to dismiss the charges against the couple, the SAO highlighted Hickox’s utilization of a confidential source for undercover drug purchases at the house on Rutledge Pearson Drive, further implicating the investigative setup by the JSO SWAT team.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, the SAO emphasized the significant doubts raised by the allegations against Earrey and Hickox, casting doubt on the events leading to the search warrant’s execution, including the subsequent shooting incident. The SAO cited the lack of means, other than Hickox, to authenticate the procured drugs, rendering it impossible to establish the home’s purpose as a drug-selling site.
With the ongoing investigation implicating Hickox since August, the case against him carries a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years upon conviction, while Earrey faces up to 10 years if convicted, pending potential additional charges.
Following the shooting, Ford maintained her innocence, asserting that a 911 call made during the raid confirmed her belief that her home was being burglarized, further underscoring her intention to protect herself. Public support for Ford led to the accumulation of over $500,000 to facilitate her release from jail during the trial period.
Then-Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams emphasized the SWAT team’s prior announcement of the narcotics warrant through a loudspeaker, recounting the exchange of multiple shots during the execution of the warrant.