Crime & Safety
Man Found Guilty Of Trafficking Kilogram Of Cocaine In Manatee County: DOJ
A Port St. Lucie man had a kilogram of cocaine in a Christmas gift bag in his car when pulled over in Manatee County, the DOJ said.
MANATEE COUNTY, FL — A Port St. Lucie man arrested in Manatee County was found guilty Tuesday of possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
Damian Sierra, 43, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of five years in federal prison and could serve up to 40 years behind bars, according to a Department of Justice news release.
He was indicted on Jan. 20 and a sentencing date hasn’t been set yet.
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Agents surveilling Sierra watched him drive to a location in Manatee County, get out of his car with a Christmas gift bag and meet with another person.
After he left, a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled him over for a window tint violation, the DOJ said. Investigators found the gift bag containing a kilogram of cocaine wrapped in tape, personal items belonging to Sierra and a drug ledger, the DOJ said.
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At the time of the incident, the drugs found with Sierra had a wholesale value of about $40,000.
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