A former Florida deputy accused of planting drugs on people during traffic stops while being recorded by his body camera is set to go to trial next month. The former Jackson County deputy Zachary Wester career in law enforcement came to an end in 2018 after the allegations came to light. Wester was indicted on 52 counts including charges of racketeering, official misconduct, perjury, fabricating evidence, false imprisonment and possession of drugs. The charges stemmed from Wester’s arrests of 11 different people according to USA Today. Prosecutors filed amended information Jan. 14, 2020, charging Wester with two dozen additional counts involving five more of his alleged victims. The charges come from traffic stops between 2017 and 2018 in which drivers or passengers were arrested on drug charges including possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Wester’s trial is set to begin May 10 and run through May 28 at the Jackson County Courthouse in Marianna, Florida. The judge over the trial in March denied a request by Wester’s lawyer, Ryan Davis, to delay proceedings due to COVID-19.

During one of the arrests cited in the indictment Wester sang, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” as he searched a Chevrolet Tahoe he pulled over in the Lowe’s parking lot in Marianna. The entire 40-minute traffic stop, which ended in the arrest of the driver, happened while Wester’s body camera was running.

“Man, I am in the Christmas spirit,” he said as he looked through the SUV. “I mean, I like to hum a tune in case something ever goes to the jury, you know, so they’re not just sitting somewhere … chilling.”

In another case Wester stopped a woman with two children in the car because one of her brake lights was broken, according to the arrest report. After a search of the car, Wester alleged several baggies with suspected meth were found on the front console under her wallet. The woman denied it was hers, however, Wester arrested her for felony possession and — because kids were present — child endangerment.

During the internal investigation, Wester’s coworkers looked through his vehicle and found a wealth of unmarked evidence, including 42 pieces of drug paraphernalia, 10 baggies of meth and five baggies of marijuana. The items found were similar to those he planted on drivers, investigators said according to USA Today.

After a almost year-long investigation, FDLE agents arrested him in July 2019 at his home in Crawfordville. He pleaded not guilty and later denied the accusations through his attorneys.

Read more:

Viral TikTok videos show Orlando police officers pulling guns on Black bike riders mistaken for robbery suspects

Black Deaf Woman Says Las Vegas Police Arrested Her Then Forced Her Children to Interpret Sign Language: ‘My Kids Saved My Life’