by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office watched Joseph Lambert for a year before they charged him with masterminding one of Northeast Florida’s largest drug trafficking rings. But another City department already had Lambert in its sights.
The Building Inspections Division cited Lambert last year for illegal construction. Inspections Chief Tom Goldsbury said Lambert refused to get permits for an addition to his garage, leading the City to shut off power to his Tulip Circle home.
When Code Enforcement Officer Skip Roszel visited Lambert, he found it odd that Lambert had surveillance cameras in front of his house. Roszel said he was also struck by the fancy cars parked in Lambert’s driveway, including a Jaguar.
Roszel said the power shut down prompted Lambert to move into the Adam’s Mark Hotel for several days. He wanted the City to pay his bill.
“He wanted us to put him up in the Adam’s Mark,” said Roszel. “Now we’re putting him up in the jail.”
Of the eight suspects arrested last month as part of Operation L.A. Express, Goldsbury’s division cited or warned six of them.
Todd Cunningham, another code enforcement officer, said he cited Michelle and William Highsmith in 1999 for placing illegal stick signs in front of their cellular phone dealership. Cunningham said the check they wrote to cover their fines bounced.