Pasco Sheriff's Office Vice and Narcotics
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| Det. Scott Grant and his canine Missy look over nearly $1.5 million in cash discovered in the truck of a man wanted by the DEA. |
On Dec. 5, 2008, at the request of the federal Department of Drug Enforcement, Pasco Sheriff's Vice and Narcotics detectives conducted a traffic stop on a truck driven by a subject wanted on a federal arrest warrant. The location was at Bass Lake Drive and Ridge Road in New Port Richey.
During the traffic stop, Sheriff's K-9 Detective Scott Grant and his dog KT conducted a walk around of the vehicle. KT gave a positive alert in the area of the enclosed bed of the truck. Detective Grant conducted another search of the vehicle with a second dog, Missy, who also alerted to several assorted boxes in the truck. Detectives found approximately 71 grams of marijuana in the truck, along with nearly $1.5 million in cash. The money and the 2001 Dodge truck were seized under federal forfeiture law.
Jonathan Mortimer was arrested on the federal warrant for illegal interstate travel and possession of cocaine, oxycodone, and methamphetamine. The warrant is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was placed on hold in our Land O' Lakes Detention facility at the time, and later transferred to Tampa for a hearing.
His wife, Kathryn Mortimer, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana (about 14 grams), trafficking in a controlled substance (Hydrocodone) and possession of a controlled substance.
Pasco Sheriff's Vice and Narcotics detectives arrested three people Dec. 10, 2008, for operating a grow house in Zephyrhills.
Agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration originally responded to the house located at 3315 Anata Drive and received permission to search the house from the occupants. The agents found a grow house operation in two of the rooms and contacted our agency to make the arrests.
Three men were arrested on one count each of cultivation of marijuana and booked into the Land O' Lakes Detention Center on $5,000 bond.
Approximately 23 pounds of pot packaged in 1-pound bags ready for distribution were found on the floor of the house. Also, 104 plants were seized, for a total of 230 pounds.
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Eight suspects were arrested in two separate search warrants served October 10, 2008, in West Pasco. Pasco Sheriff's SWAT and Vice and Narcotics deputies made early morning entries into two homes, one on Gaslight Avenue in Holiday and one on Glover Road in Port Richey.
At the Gaslight Avenue address, detectives found nearly 20 grams of crack cocaine, and small amounts of marijuana and oxycodone. At the Glover Road address, detectives found 24 grams of marijuana, nearly 9 grams of cocaine and a small amount of oxycodone.
It was no treat when Vice and Narcotics detectives came knocking on Halloween 2007 at the house located at 27746 Quail View Drive in Wesley Chapel. Deputies found 286 marijuana plants in an elaborate grow house that included air conditioners, grow lights, and irrigation. The home's owner had also illegally tapped into the home's electrical service to power the system. He was arrested for both cultivation of marijuana and theft of services.
TNT in Action
The Pasco Sheriff's Office's Tactical Narcotics Team assisted in an important bust the night of Tuesday, October 30, 2007. The undercover deputies were assisting the Warrants section in arresting a wanted individual where they suspected drugs may be involved. The team seized two pounds of cocaine, 1.5 ounces of marijuana and almost $12,800 in cash. The arrest was conducted at 5008 Blue Heron Drive in New Port Richey.
Marijuana Grow Houses Shut Down After Serving Federal Search Warrant
Undercover detectives from the Pasco Sheriff's Office Vice and Narcotics Unit and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s federal drug task force dubbed High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area served two Federal search warrants in Pasco County on Monday, July 30, 2007.
Three men were arrested after detectives found two active grow houses and one dismantled grow house. The operation netted a total of 152 marijuana plants and 25 marijuana stalks from three west Pasco County homes.
The grow houses appeared to have some connection but the nature of the relationship is still being investigated. The street value of plants if sold locally could be at least $380,000 according to vice and narcotics Lieutenant Robert Sullivan. The two Federal search warrants served Monday morning were based on information received from the public and a subsequent undercover investigation.
Photo: 152 marijuana plants uncovered in undercover effort involving more than two dozen deputies from Pasco and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Offices.
The first home was approached by the undercover detectives when they served the search warrant at 7:06 a.m. at 9954 Lakeview Drive in rural New Port Richey. A large detached shed/garage on the property is where the grow house was located. The shed looked like a regular work shed, but there was a false back that led to a hidden grow house. Inside the grow house, detectives found 117 potted marijuana plants. Eduardo Vera Aleman, of the same address was arrested for cultivation of marijuana.
The next home was approached at 7:15 a.m. at 9530 Osceola Drive, in rural New Port Richey. This home had two separate grow rooms inside the home: one area was hidden behind a linen closet, the other grow area could be reached by a door in the garage. (see picture) Thirty-five potted marijuana plants were discovered inside these two areas. Upon entering this home, it looked like a normal house with a living room filled with a sofa and regular furniture. The two areas were hidden from the main entryways inside the home. Roberto Miguel Ferro, was arrested at 9830 Sweet Bay Court, New Port Richey for cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana at the 9530 Osceola Drive address.
The undercover teams also approached the home at 9320 Wildwood Avenue at 8:15 a.m. in Hudson and arrested Ricardo Aguila. He consented to a search of his residence. During the search, 25 pounds of marijuana stalks were found in his home. He later admitted to using the home that contained 25 marijuana plants. During the search at the home, dismantled grow house materials such as power sources, air conditioning units, fertilizer, potting soil and transformers were found at the home.
These arrests were the result of efforts from the public noticing suspicious activity and contacting the local Sheriff’s Office. If you have a tip you can call the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Tipsline at 1-800-706-2488. You can leave your name or remain anonymous with your crime-fighting tip.