Former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year accused of being ‘addict of controlled substances’

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville-area Florida Highway Patrol trooper has been accused of buying drugs illegally.

A federal criminal complaint was filed Friday against Joshua Earrey, accusing him of being an “unlawful user or addict of controlled substances in possession of a firearm.”

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An arrest warrant was issued for Earrey on Friday and he was arrested the same day. He was released on a $50,000 bond.

The criminal complaint said a confidential informant told the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Earrey had been addicted to oxycodone since 2021. The affidavit also said that Earrey had back surgery on Jan. 19 and was expected to remain on light duty status until Monday.

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Earrey, who has been a trooper for 22 years, has also been assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration as a task force officer since September 2020.

He was named the 2009 Trooper of the Year for apprehending a carjacking suspect on Jacksonville’s Westside.

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