Bradenton man charged with selling meth to undercover detective he met on a dating site

A 44-year-old Bradenton man is in the Sarasota County jail for trafficking in methamphetamine, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

James Anderson was arrested Monday after an investigation began in October. Undercover detectives say they were able to purchase methamphetamine from Anderson on two separate occasions, according to a report.

Detectives became aware of Anderson’s activities after he responded to a fake account on a dating site in September, which led detectives to setting up the buys.

An undercover detective created the account in September, writing on her profile that she wasn’t interested in actually dating but that she was looking for “party favors.”

Anderson reached out to the undercover detective on the site, offering to sell her drugs, which led to the two undercover purchases. Based on those buys , an arrest warrant was obtained for Anderson in November.

Deputies made contact with him again to set up another buy on Monday.

Anderson met the undercover detectives at Ollie’s Bargain Barn, 4092 Cattleman Road, on Monday to make the deal, according to the arrest report.

Anderson was taken into custody, at which time he made a spontaneous statement, “It’s in my front left pocket,” according to the report.

The drugs weighed out at 14.2 grams. Anything over 14 grams elevates the charge to trafficking.

Deputies say Anderson admitted he was going to sell the drugs in its entirety, telling deputies, “I was going to sell it all in one pop,” according to the report.