Convicted felon arrested for weapons, drug trafficking charges

Giovanni Francois (CREDIT: Collier County Sheriff’s Office)

A 22-year-old man was arrested by Collier County deputies on Tuesday night for allegedly trafficking drugs and weapons charges.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office said Giovanni Francois is a convicted felon who was traveling with enough fentanyl to kill more than 4,000 people.

Francois faces charges of fentanyl trafficking, cocaine trafficking, possession of a weapon by a gang-related felon, possession of a controlled substance-amphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of narcotic equipment, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

Francois was stopped by a deputy for traveling above the speed limit in the area of Naples Manor in East Naples.

Prior to stopping the car, deputies said, they saw Francois toss a bag and a box onto the road.

He was finally stopped at the intersection of St. Andrews Blvd. and Hidden Valley Dr.

During a search deputies found:

A 9mm handgun. The firearm was fully loaded with seven rounds of ammunition and one round in the chamber.
Multiple empty bags and packages, and labels consistent with narcotics packaging.
8.4 grams of fentanyl
45.7 grams of crack cocaine
9 grams of amphetamine
0.2 grams of powder cocaine
18.5 grams of marijuana

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