Tip Leads To Major Drug Bust, 4 Arrests At Clearwater Hotel

CLEARWATER, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has arrested four people in a major drug bust in which they confiscated 1,042 grams of crystal meth, along with other drugs, eight guns and more than $66,000 in cash.

On Monday, detectives from the sheriff's narcotics division received a tip about a large amount of methamphetamine being delivered to known drug traffickers at WoodSpring Suites at 15672 U.S. 19 N in Clearwater.

Detectives set up surveillance and arrested 36-year-old Travis David Nicotera of 37th Street North, St. Petersburg; 29-year-old Brandon Christian Pagels of 116th Avenue, Treasure Island; 22-year-old Jessica Colby Mccarty of Walnut Drive, Palm Harbor; and 30-year-old Cory Robert Jones of 53rd Way north, Pinellas Park, as they left the hotel room.

When they searched the hotel room, detectives found:

• 1,042 grams of crystal methamphetamine
• 126 grams of fentanyl
• 736 grams of marijuana
• 17 fentanyl patches
• 24 buprenorphine patches
• 37 grams of MDMA
• 25 doses of buprenorphine
• 10 doses of oxycodone
• Drug ledgers
• A Smith & Wesson .38 special
• A stolen Kimber 9 mm gun
• A Ruger P94 40-caliber gun
• A Sig Sauer SP 2022
• A Beretta M9 9 mm
• A Walther CCP 9 mm
• A Ruger LC9 9 mm

Additionally, detectives searched Pagels and found 166 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 130 grams of fentanyl, 1 gram of crack cocaine, 443 grams of marijuana and a Smith & Wesson .38 Special.

Nicotera had $19,411 in his possession and Mccarty had $5,752 in cash, which they admitted to obtaining through illegal drug sales.

Detectives also learned Mccarty had further drug proceeds at a separate location and were able to seize an additional $60,716 in cash.

Nicotera was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine. This is his 16th time being arrested in Pinellas County. He was released the same day on a $50,000 bond.

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Pagels was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, armed trafficking in methamphetamine, armed trafficking in fentanyl and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. This is his fourth arrest in Pinellas County. He's being held on $80,500 bail.

Mccarty was charged with armed trafficking in methamphetamine, armed trafficking in fentanyl, armed trafficking in MDMA, six counts of possession of a controlled substance and a warrant for grand theft. This is her seventh arrest by the sheriff's office. She's being held on $130,500 bail.

Jones was charges with armed trafficking in methamphetamine, armed trafficking in fentanyl, armed trafficking in MDMA, eight counts of possession of a controlled substance, a Federal Transit Administration warrant for sale of a counterfeit drug and an FTA warrant for possession of synthetic cannabinoid. This is the 22nd time he's been arrested in Pinellas County. He's being held on $432,500 bail.