Tenn. couple charged after buying illegal pills from undercover agent in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A Tennessee couple is accused of driving to Volusia County to pick up hundreds of pain pills so they could take them back home to sell.

The Volusia Bureau of Investigation arrested Gary Hill and his wife, Paula Hill, both of Maryville, Tenn., after the drug deal went down at the Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach.

Officials said the Hills came to Florida with $7,778 to buy 800 morphine pills, but they had no idea they were dealing with undercover detectives.

A police report said the money came from Gary Hill's car accident settlement and that the couple wanted to double it to build a house.

"They had actually pulled permits," one investigator said. "The process was in motion, but they needed $12,000 to get started with the construction of this house."

The report shows Gary Hill works for a home improvement company specializing in stone.

When asked why he wanted to buy pills, he said he was at his wit's end.

"I got grandkids," said Hill. "I was just trying to make a little house, you know what I'm saying?"

Both Paula and Gary Hill face charges for attempting to traffic dangerous drugs.

WFTV