Fentanyl drug busts continue across SWFL

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrested a man and a woman in Charlotte County after a traffic stop led to a search for illegal drugs. This is the second time the two have been arrested for felony drug charges in the past month.

In a similar situation over the weekend, police in Cape Coral arrested a man during a traffic stop, which also led to an illegal drug search. That man, John Anthony Lacey was found in possession of fentanyl. Lacey was taken to Lee County Jail and was found with more fentanyl in his “crotch region.”

On Sunday, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew Nero, 23, and Alexa Powers, 18, near Port Charlotte after a K9 unit dog sniffed for drugs outside the car Nero was driving, which led to a search that found the two were in possession of illegal drugs.

According to the CCSO blog post, the responding deputy stopped the pickup truck Nero was driving on El Jobean Road and U.S. 41 because the taillights on it were not working. The deputy recognized Nero and Powers because he was their arresting officer during a traffic stop on April 18.

The K9 unit responded after Nero did not let the deputy search his vehicle. The dog alerted deputies to the odor of illegal drugs, and they searched the truck.

Deputies found a digital scale, marijuana, a baggie with methamphetamine, hypodermic needles, a Dilaudid pill (hydromorphone), another digtal scale with traces of cocaine and other empty baggies.

During Nero’s arrest, deputies found more than 25 grams of cocaine in a bag in his pocket.

Nero faces charges for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Meth) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Powers faces charges for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Dilaudid), Possession of more than 20 grams marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Anonymous tips about dealers or drug use in the area area can be submitted online by visiting www.ccso.org or through the sheriff’s office’s mobile app, available on Apple and Android markets.

Both Nero and powers are still in jail.

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