An individual’s vocation is not an indication of their likelihood to engage in drug use. Anniston police recently arrested a local pastor and anti-violence campaign co-founder on drug charges.

According to an Anniston Star report, the Rev. Frederick Fitzgerald of Oxford was charged April 5 with felony possession of a controlled substance. Durant told reporters he was not guilty of the charges.

The pastor was pulled over by a police officer after witnessing Durant driving in the middle of the road. Durant was unable to produce proof of insurance, so the officer called for a tow truck.

Standard procedure in such a case is to conduct an inventory of the vehicle and in doing so, the officer found a small, white rock under a pillow in the passenger seat. The rock tested positive for crack cocaine.

While the car is registered in Durant’s name, he claims he has been allowing a relative to drive it for a year or two. He claimed that nothing in the car belonged to him. According to Durant, the car he normally drives is a 2002 Ford Explorer.

Pastor of the Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church in Eastaboga, Durant also works as an outreach coordinator for Anniston Funeral Services where he mentors recovering drug addicts. He also founded Stop the Violence in March 2007 after two young men were gunned down in West Anniston.

“I’ve never seen young people devastated like at that funeral. After that, God gave me a vision to change the community,” Durant said last December. He told reporters Stop the Violence will continue.