Because the defendants were charged in federal court instead Circuit Court, Customs took the marijuana to Miami saving the sheriffs department the burden of storing it. He said then that he had gone to get his brother Sergio, 40. font-size:11.0pt; Crime - A major drug bust led deputies to 120 gallons of liquid meth being transported in buckets by suspects from Georgia to Florida, overseen by a "mastermind" who ran the operation from federal prison, officials said Thursday. Galvan returned from Cuba aboard the Blanchie III and was the first Cuban-American to announce that Cuba had opened the harbor to the Freedom Flotilla. Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 poundsof marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. Colorful pills drive new warnings about deadliest drug in the US. There was the time in the 1970s when square grouper was code for a bale of marijuana that was thrown overboard when the water cops showed up. Everyones a good friend or family of a number ofpeople. Sheriff William A. Freeman said of thesuspects, who were greeted by about 40 red-eyedrelatives at the Monroe County jail as they were booked. Deputy Megan Faison wrote in her report that she asked a 22-year-old female passenger in the front seat to roll her window all the way down so he could safely look inside the car, since it had dark tinted windows. "I been to the border twice, so I saw how it's coming in. The pot that came from a square grouper was called sea weed. "It is enough to kill 66 out of the 67 counties' population here in Florida," Moody said at the Tampa Bay Regional Operational Center alongside Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents. The law caught on fast and the days of the cowboys didnt last much longer. And a Monroe County commissioner and well-known Florida Keys businessman has died after a battle with COVID-19, friends confirmed. That was one of the scariest nights I ever had. "Twenty-four suspects were arrested but one gang member remains at large: 39-year-old Efren Berumen from Kissimmee, Florida. She's just a few weeks into her job with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com. RELATED: Deadly dupes: Nationwide spike in mass-overdoses, teen deaths due to fentanyl-laced drugs, DEA says. Reed Bryan Bell, 55, of Islamorada, was also arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance and Markus Dyer, 31, of Big Pine Key, was arrested on charges of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. All three were arrested and taken to jail. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. These people were very organized and were selling lots of drugs, he said. WebA Florida Keys man was pulled over by Monroe County sheriffs deputies, who said they found a lot of marijuana, several handguns and two runaways from Miami-Dade County. Forbes, who's been arrested multiple times, was charged with, among other things, possession of methamphetamine and trafficking eight grams of fentanyl. Police in Florida issued arrest warrants for over 100 members of a suspected drug gang on Wednesday and seized enough fentanyl to wipe out a large county. WebIn all, 30 people were charged in U.S. District Court with drug trafficking. Detectives said the organization was obtaining large quantities of drugs from overseas and distributing them throughout Brevard County, which is about 50 miles east of Orlando. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. A man in a smaller boat could clear maybe $40,000. If youre a druggie driving U.S. 1 through the Florida Keys and youre pulled over, the last thing you want to hear is the Monroe County Sheriffs Department call in backup in the form of the K-9 crew, specifically the drug-sniffing two-year-old Golden Retriever named Coral. With this operation, we are making a significant dent in the sales of illegal drugs on Stock Island.. Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too. /* Style Definitions */ 2 Key West, FL 33040 (305) 735-4587 Se Habla Espaol. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. At age 71, this Florida Keys man is working steady in the drug-dealing game, police say. According to authorities, deputies spotted Howard driving a black BMW south on U.S. 1 around 2:40 p.m. Monday. The senior citizen also had a 9mm handgun, 189 rounds of ammunition and a digital scale, police said. Colonel Rick Ramsay, who was there when the searches were conducted, said this was a large drug sales operation. of cocaine valued at over 1.5 million dollars floating in the #FloridaKeys. This time she alerted deputies to drugs inside a Lexus and a BMW that were pulled over Monday afternoon on Big Pine Key. EN-US Deputies said they knew Howard had warrants out for her arrest for drug trafficking, and as they were pulling her over they realized that her vehicle was being followed by a Lexus. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. mso-para-margin-top:0in; Coral joined the Monroe County Sheriffs Office this past fall, and it wasnt long before she was racking up drug busts. 27 lbs of marijuana & 3 lbs of cocaine. The 104 arrest warrants concluded a months-long investigation by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office into an organization suspected of "distributing kilogram quantities" of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl -- a synthetic opioid that can be up to 100 times more powerful than morphine, police said. WebOver the years, illegal drugs lots of them have been seized or discovered off Florida's shorelines. Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. This is a very small list of vessels confiscated by Major Seals Agents in just one or two years during the heyday of Keys pot smuggling. mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Pacheco waived his Miranda rights, according to the report, and told deputies he picked up the 17-year-old in Miami and the 15-year-old in Homestead. If you have any information about Berumen and if you know of his whereabouts, please call FDLE," Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson said. ), Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. "We have seen our seizures in Flagler County is up over 500 percent so far this year compared to all of last year," Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. Hes in county jail on Stock Island, and his bond information was not immediately available. Then a Florida Keys condo leader was arrested Updated January 30, 2023 5:55 PM . Florida authorities arrested three suspects and seized more than 11 pounds of fentanyl as part of an undercover drug trafficking bust. Authorities said additional deputies were called to the scene along with K9 Coral, who alerted them to drugs in the Lexus and BMW. Pacheco does not have a concealed carry permit for the weapon, according to the report. Deputies drove him to the COVID-19 checkpoint at mile marker 112.5 on U.S. 1, where his parents picked him up, Linhardt said. Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were sitting in the backseat. I never heard about any girlfriend of the lawyers disappearing as another other rumor that is floating thirty years later claims. Other charges, such as possession of a concealed weapon by several defendants, were pending. 29. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Richard Allen Shank, 31, who drives a Pepsi Cola delivery truck in Key West. mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; Freeman said he was eager to gain title to the smuggling vehicles for his department. mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; The only person who listed at out-of-state address wasNorman Lee Young, 30, 110 Gum Tree Rd., Hilton Head,S.C. From the Key WestCitizen November 14,1980BySheila Quickstad Citizen Staff Writer. Officers also found more than $3,000 in cash. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton brought 26,250 pounds of cocaine and 3,700 pounds of marijuana to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale -- the largest drug interdiction in the ship's history. a whopping$1.4 billion worth of cocaine and weed. mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; Now is the time to talk to your loved ones, especially children. Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it deemed to be. The unloaders of the pot were young Cuban men and were caught milling around Long Beach Road where there are no Cubansnormally seen. 4 Sloans Trailer ParkJuan Manuel Venegas, 29, 837 Eighth Ave.Fisherman Michael Patrick OBrien, 22, 216 LincolnGardens. The attorney general says cartels only care about profit and power. Tawana Blackman and Leroy Lawson were arrested at that location. Dyer is Howards boyfriend, according to the sheriffs office. Dealers are also disguising the drugs to look like candy. The drugnet, in addition to the arrests, resulted in the confiscation of approximately 500 bales of marijuana; two T-Craft boats; a 40-foot Lobster boat, Miss Lucy out of Marathon; two closed body trucks, a 1980 van, a pickup truck and a 1979 Cadillac. Deputies checked the car and found 38 more marijuana vaping products, a loaded Taurus .40 caliber handgun, a Smith and Wesson SD40 VE handgun, five 12-gauge shotgun shells, 57 .22 magnum bullets, and one 9 mm bullet, as well as various drug equipment, including rolling papers and a marijuana grinder, according to the report. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County The situation changed dramatically as Forbes tried to run away after a deputy found a suspicious package during a pat down. Alvarez-Bermudez is a convicted felon, so his possession of the gun drew a felony charge. table.MsoNormalTable Agents of the Sheriffs Department, the U.S. CustomsService and the Florida Marine Patrol culminated amonth-long investigation at 4 a.m., seizing three boats,three trucks and a gold Cadillac. They will be turned over to the sheriff for disposal, either by sale or for use in his department. The 30 suspects surrendered peacefully. Traffic stop results in drug bust. See what the rescue teams saw, Retired Navy officer enters Florida Keys undersea lodge. WebThe Border Patrol said 73 pounds of cocaine and 62 pounds of marijuana were found between two days. On Friday afternoon, Alvarez-Bermudez remained jailed without bond at the Stock Island Detention Center. Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputies were praising K9 Coral on Tuesday. Good Samaritans found the drugs & notified authorities. BIG PINE KEY, Fla. Just days after helping bust a woman for drug possession in the Florida Keys, Monroe County Sheriffs Office K9 Coral is at it again. Among those arrested at a marijuana off-loading site on Big Pine Key were several familiar Key West names including Nelson Jamardo, better known as Ping Ping; Francisco Hernandez, 58, a former fireman for the Navy and now a watch engineer at the City Electric System; Antonio Tony Hernandez, 50, owner of David Electric; Manuel Sanchez, 57, salesman at Sears; and Domingo Galvan, 44, a registered nurse employed at DePoo Memorial Doctors Hospital. mso-style-parent:""; The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said investigators uncovered 75 firearms, 9 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of fentanyl and an undisclosed amount of heroin. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The 17-year-old was clutching a backpack, according to the report. mso-pagination:widow-orphan; The Big Coppitt cowboys were the most successful. We didnt fire a single shot, a Customs agent said. The suspects were identified by authorities as Misty Marie Howard, 39, of Big Pine Key, who had a warrant for trafficking This story was originally published May 22, 2020, 8:40 PM. ; Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, No. WebKEY WEST, Fla. A Key West woman faces methamphetamine trafficking and other drug charges after a bust that was assisted by K9 cop Coral, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office Marathon Residents:Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon LodgeRafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Danielle2.5 Tons Pot250,000 Quaaludes1979, Officers Mark Walker and Doug Smith Sugarloaf Key 1980. Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Miami-Dade Mayor, State Attorney Announce New Measures to Protect HOA Residents, Teen in Vicious Attack on Florida Teacher's Aide to Be Charged as Adult, Given $1M Bond, Ex-UM Football Player Accused of Killing Teammate Granted $850K Bond. The search by Special Operations detectives revealed a crack cocaine lab at the 2nd street location that contained powdered cocaine, crack cocaine and about 350 grams of marijuana packaged for sale. WebDeputies arrested a 46-year-old Key West woman on multiple drug charges after a traffic stop on Big Pine Key yielded a litany of pills, FLORIDA KEYS. A man going out on the smugglers mother ship could make a quick $100,000. Its coming from Cuba, weather forecasters say, Body found floating in channel off Key West, Monroe County Sheriffs Office says, A coconut tree farm caught fire in South Miami-Dade. Brandy Victoria Gesell, 38, was arrested after a traffic stop Thursday night on Big Pine Key. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WSVN-TV. Both vehicles were pulled over between Mile Markers 32 and 33. Dozens of them were taken into custody and bused to prison, including the six alleged ringleaders. The illegal Same as you, waiting, the agent responded. mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; Rickie Santiago Pacheco, 23, faces charges of carrying a concealed firearm without a license, possessing a firearm while committing a felony, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and interfering with the custody of a minor. The tension and violence in the air was awful for a hippy like me. Staly said in Flagler, the age of overdoses range from 18 to 60. This page is compiled mostly from Major Seals scrapbook that he wasgraciousenough to share with us. Hes the uncle of County Commissioner Jerry Hernandez and the brother of former Key West police Chief Eugene Hernandez: Manuel Sanchez, 57, manager of the mens department at Key Wests Sears Roebuck & Co. store in Searstown Plaza on North Roosevelt Boulevard, and his brother Antonio, 54, a jewelry salesman. mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Last week the U.S. Coast Guard seized what it Authorities say they then found the following in the Camry: In addition to the trafficking charge, Gesell also faces charges of possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (pills) without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were expensive guns. At Least two, he said, had satin steel finish with pearl handles. Amanda Batchelor, Digital Executive Producer. She graduated from Indiana University. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware. Horace Calhoun, Clarence Moore, Jr. and Shamichael Johnson were all at the apartment and taken into custody. The three alleged organizational leaders were identified as Brandon Huff, 35, and Jonathan Walker, 42, both of Cocoa, and Megan Wilborn, 31, of Merritt Island. ~Editor. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service. We cannot allow these drugs and the criminals who peddle them to poison our communities and destroy lives," DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday. He said he knew the older boy was missing, but not the younger teen, Faison said. Ramsey also said that receiving information from law abiding citizens is important, especially in cases like this. These werent Saturday night specials, the deputy, said. Authorities said it the mostdefendants in a single Keys bust and among the most everin any Florida bust. A police K-9 sniffed out more than six ounces of cocaine inside a car during a traffic stop. There were kidnappings among that crowd, but that is another story and has nothing to do with this one. X-NONE WebPolice in the Florida Keys arrested two men this week after discovering large amounts of cash, drugs, and illegally harvested lobsters in their vehicle. Jamarado 50, the owner of David Electric Inc., an electrical contractor that frequently wins large contracts with Monroe County and the city of Key West. He plans to break records, These Florida spots, one in the Keys, made the best beaches list. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Nelson Alvarez-Bermudez, of Big Coppitt Key, was jailed Thursday after the Monroe County Sheriffs Offices SWAT team, along with state and federal agents, found him at home at about 6:40 a.m. and served a warrant. Huff is being held on $2.5 million bond, while both Walker and Wilborn are being held on just over $900,000 bond. FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) The Monroe County Sheriffs Office carried out a drug bust. The public may view the reports by going to WSVN.com and clicking on "FCC Public File", or by visiting the FCC's website at FCC.org. The cowboys would jump into their go-fast boats that were kept docked at the seawall next to their house, and zoom out to where the floating bales were. The woman in the front seat was not arrested, nor was the 15-year-old.
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