JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 15-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been arrested and charged with aiding escape in connection with a major drug ring bust, police announced Thursday.
Betty Maynor Pearson, 42, is accused of trying to help her son, Antoine Pearson Jr., 20, elude capture on a cocaine trafficking warrant.
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Pearson Jr. was wanted in connection with a drug trafficking operation that was running large quantities of cocaine from Houston to Jacksonville, which also involved his father, Antoine Pearson Sr., and his uncle, Gregory Pearson, police said.
Betty Pearson was communicating with her son while he was being investigated on the drug charges, telling him how to avoid being captured and even coordinating for someone to pick him up, police said.
"He was, at the time, fleeing police, and she aided his escape," Undersheriff Pat Ivey said. "You've got to remember escape -- you don't have to be in custody -- it can be that you are attempting to elude the capture or arrest. She gave him assistance to elude police and not be captured on that warrant."
But Pearson Jr. eventually was captured on the narcotics warrant, Ivey said. That came after Gregory Pearson was arrested Aug. 21 in Houston with 11 kilograms of cocaine in his possession. Pearson Sr. eventually turned himself in and was also arrested, police said.
Betty Pearson, who was a corrections officer for seven years, had her police powers revoked last Thursday while JSO investigated her involvement and she was arrested Wednesday night and booked into the Duval County Jail.
"I'm actually very surprised -- more surprised that she would have something to do with it, but I guess we will all kind of look out for our children," neighbor Cheenita Max said.