Attorney General James Uthmeier announced arrests in Operation Trackside, a major takedown of a drug trafficking ring operating in South Florida across Palm Beach County and Broward County.
The investigation, “Operation Trackside,” uncovered large-scale trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone and resulted in the seizure of more than 5 kilograms of narcotics, $450,000 in cash, firearms, vehicles, and a boat.
“Drug traffickers who push poison like cocaine and fentanyl into our communities are profiting off the death of Floridians,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “In Florida, the consequences are simple—if you buy or sell illicit drugs, our Statewide Prosecutors will ensure you spend a long time behind bars.”
The 14-month investigation was led by the Boynton Beach Police Department in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Boca Raton Police Department, Delray Beach Police Department, West Palm Beach Police Department, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
Through the investigation, detectives obtained seventeen search warrants, leading to the arrest of these individuals. This month, law enforcement officers from various agencies simultaneously executed fifteen of the search warrants. The searches resulted in the seizure of six handguns, two semi-automatic rifles, eleven vehicles, one boat, 5,027 grams of narcotics, and $452,026 in cash.
The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is charging two dozen individuals connected to the trafficking organization. Seventeen defendants face conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, while others are charged with trafficking fentanyl, trafficking oxycodone, solicitation to deliver controlled substances, and related offenses. Five arrests were outstanding. The Florida AG announced charges against:
- Garett Deshawn Sutton Jr.
- Trafficking in Fentanyl, three felony charges
- Trafficking in Cocaine, two felony charges
- Criminal Conspiracy, one felony charge
- Antonio Robinson
- Trafficking in Cocaine, eight felony charges
- Conspiracy to Traffic Controlled Substance, two felony charges
- Trafficking in Oxycodone, one felony charge
- Kira Ezra Jones II
- Trafficking in Fentanyl, two felony charges
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Criminal Conspiracy, one felony charge
- Tarik Anthony Jarrett
- Trafficking in Cocaine, four felony charges
- Conspiracy to Traffic Controlled Substance, two felony charges
- Ion Miksa
- Obstruction of Justice/Tampering, one felony charge
- Purchase Controlled Substance, six felony charges
- Darnel Durand Manuel
- Trafficking in Cocaine, three felony charges
- Nicholas Matheney
- Purchase Controlled Substance, two felony charges
- Michael Vantez Hunter Jr.
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- James Edward Anderson
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Fred Ellis Robinson
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Amber Micara Greermoore
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Carlton Van Potts
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Timothy Daniels
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Kira Ezra Jones
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Alberto Cruz, Jr.
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Christopher Daniel Jordan
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Hayward McQueen
- Trafficking in Cocaine, one felony charge
- Bobby Young
- Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine, one felony charge
- Brian Cannon
- Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine, one felony charge
- Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell, one felony charge
Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Kristi Howe will handle the case. The South Florida case was supported by the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (SAFE) program, which funds statewide efforts to combat the spread of fentanyl in Florida communities.
Florida has been at the forefront of combatting the fentanyl crisis through other initiatives such as Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network, the first of its kind in the US, aims to disrupt the cycle of addiction and overdose by providing comprehensive addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and connecting individuals with long-term recovery resources. Florida has also implemented stricter penalties for individuals convicted of trafficking fentanyl, including mandatory minimum sentences and fines that vary depending on the amount of fentanyl involved.
