Leader of Lee County drug ring sentenced to 14 years in federal prison

Alphonda Baker, of Cape Coral, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and being in possession of multiple firearms as a felon. Baker, 45, plead guilty back on February 5.

Three of Baker’s associates had already been sentenced: Travis Lee Watkins was sentenced to 13 years, Tafawah Horrobin got 10 years and Michael Horrobin received 4 years and 9 months.

Court documents state that Baker ran a drug ring that distributed heroin and fentanyl across Lee County. The investigation into Baker’s activity began in 2018 with a successful undercover operation by law enforcement. They were able to purchase fentanyl from Horrobin multiple times in Cape Coral.

Horrobin, they learned lives in Cape Coral but would frequent a home in, Lehigh Acres. Investigators later learned that the Lehigh Acres home was rented by Baker as a “safe house” where drugs could be stockpiled and later sold.

On August 16, 2018, the DEA and Cape Coral Police were able to execute search warrants on Horrbin’s home, Baker’s home and the Lehigh Acres “safe house.” Inside Horrobin’s residence, they found, cash, an illegal firearm, and items used to distribute drugs. Eight firearms were taken from Baker’s residence. The Lehigh Acres home produced one gram of a fentanyl/heroine mixture, 400 grams of cocaine, smaller amounts of crack and meth, and another four firearms.

The FBI assisted Cape Coral PD and the DEA in this investigation.