Detectives with CCSO’s Vice and Narcotics Bureau partnered with the 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the special operation.
“This investigation, initiated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, has been ongoing for approximately one year and today numerous significant drug traffickers attached to multiple organizations were arrested,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said. “These arrests will severely impact the ability of these individuals to conduct illicit business in Southwest Florida for quite some time.”
Detectives say the investigation uncovered a drug trafficking operation that received powder cocaine from Texas via Mexico. The cocaine was supplied to Immokalee, where it was distributed in Southwest Florida as crack and powder cocaine.
During the investigation, the suspects conspired to traffic approximately 11 ½ kilograms of cocaine with a wholesale value of approximately $369,350, detectives said.
The investigation marked the second significant drug enforcement effort by CCSO in the past nine months. In September 2015, 18 people were arrested and $120,000 in heroin was seized in connection with a far-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy in South Florida following a yearlong investigation.
Sheriff Rambosk said Thursday’s operation represents the Sheriff’s Office’s ongoing commitment to fighting drugs and taking them off the streets of Collier County.
“Today’s arrests have interrupted at least 1,000 street-level narcotic transactions which would have netted these organizations approximately $575,000,” Sheriff Rambosk said.
Detectives say the cocaine trafficking conspiracy was not confined to any single jurisdiction. Arrests were made in Collier and Lee counties Thursday. During the course of the investigation cash and narcotics were seized at various locations.
A total of 14 warrants were obtained; 12 suspects have been arrested so far. The suspects are being held the Collier and Lee county jails on bonds ranging from $250,000 to $3.2 million.
“There are some people connected to the organization that we have yet to locate and the warrants for them will remain active until they are apprehended,” Sheriff Rambosk said.
During the investigation into these drug trafficking organizations, detectives seized or purchased over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 6 grams of heroin and quantities of Xanax and marijuana with a street value of $72,300. Approximately $180,000 in cash also was seized.
This investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected, the Sheriff said.
The 12 people arrested, their charges and bond amounts are:
Lanette Austile
DOB: 10/21/1981
Charges: Conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to sell and possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver
Total Bond $100K
Victor Cossio
DOB: 10/19/1992
Charges: Trafficking in heroin – 4 grams or more, trafficking in cocaine – 400 grams or more, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 400 grams or more and possession of a controlled substance
Total Bond $2,510,000
Noe DeJesus
DOB: 9/6/1982
Charge: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more
Total Bond $250K
Fredrick Green
DOB: 11/22/1978
Charges: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 200 grams or more and conspiracy to possession with intent to sell a controlled substance
Total Bond $520K
Fernando Guadarrama
DOB: 7/15/1986
Charges: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 400 grams or more and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more
Total Bond $1,250,000
Michael Jackson III
DOB: 2/4/1979
Charges: R.I.C.O, trafficking in cocaine – 28 grams or more, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine -400 grams or more, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 200 grams or more, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more, conspiracy to possession with intent to sell a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell
Total Bond $2,790,000
Erik Martinez
DOB: 7/9/1990
Charges: R.I.C.O, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 400 grams or more, trafficking in cocaine – 400 grams or more and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more
Total Bond $3,250,000
Florentino Martinez-Jimenez
DOB: 11/10/1972
Charges: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 400 grams or more and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more
Total Bond $1,250,000
Cordey Taylor
DOB: 10/14/1978
Charges: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more and conspiracy to possession with intent to sell a controlled substance
Total Bond $270K
Cristobel Torres
DOB: 2/7/1993
Charge: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine – 28 grams or more
Total Bond $250K
William Washington
DOB: 2/2/1969
Charges: Conspiracy to traffic in cocaine-28 grams or more and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to sell
Total Bond $300K
Lee Wren
DOB: 10/19/1948
Charges: Conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to sell and possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver
Total Bond $100K
Click here to view arrests.
