Undercover agent shoots man during alleged drug deal at gas station near Longwood

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — An undercover agent shot a man Thursday afternoon during a drug deal at a gas station near Longwood, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said.

The wounded suspect, Adesho Lavel Francis, 28, will be charged with trafficking heroin and fentanyl when he is released from the hospital, investigators said. He will then be taken to the Polk Correctional Facility.

Shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, agents with the City-County Investigative Bureau witnessed a drug deal happening in the parking lot of a Chevron on West State Road 434 near Montgomery Road, Sheriff's Office spokesman Bob Kealing said.

Agents surrounded the vehicle in which the deal was taking place and ordered Francis, who was in the driver's seat to show his hands and exit the vehicle, but he refused to do so, Kealing said.

"During the attempted apprehension of [Francis], a CCIB agent fired multiple rounds, wounding him," he said. "The suspect was conscious and alert and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries."

Investigators said a Sherry Morgan, who was a passenger in the car, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital. Morgan faces charges of selling heroin.

"I heard the officers yelling commands to the (driver of the) vehicle to put his hands on the steering wheel. (I) heard that, like, four or five times," witness Jeff Berry said. "It was a little scary, standing out here and then gunfire next door."

"As soon as we saw the car stop and all the (undercover officers) get out of their (cars), we heard the gunshots," witness Michael Jones said.

Francis, who according to court records, has a history of drug and weapons arrests in Orange County dating to 2001.

Neighbors in the area said drugs are a huge problem and that drug dealers have been working the corner for at least the last seven years. Lori Keller said she was glad to see law enforcement step in.

"It's nice to know tha they are out there trying to protect us," Keller said.

A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office said they've received four calls about drug activity at the intersection in the last seven years.

CCIB is a multiagency task force that works with the state attorney's office to investigate vice, narcotics and organized crime. It comprises of Seminole County deputies and officers from the county's seven police departments.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

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