CITRUS COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) says an undercover drug bust has taken enough fentanyl off the streets to potentially kill approximately 52,000 adults.
On Friday afternoon, Sept. 22, deputies seized 226 grams of methamphetamine and 104 grams of fentanyl, and arrested 49-year-old Robert Paul Kowanko and 37-year-old Sean Thomas Joyce.
CCSO says Kowanko and Joyce traveled from Port Charlotte, FL, to deliver approximately 1/2 pound of methamphetamine.
CCSO says detectives from the Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) conducted a covert operation and purchased a large quantity of methamphetamine from Kowanko.
Shortly after that, TIU detectives arrested Kowanko and Joyce in the parking lot of the Denny’s restaurant in Crystal River. CCSO says they found Kowanko in possession of approximately 59 grams of fentanyl, while Joyce had approximately 45 grams of fentanyl, as well as 1 gram of crack cocaine.
“Our agency will continue to fight against and protect our residents from these deadly substances,” said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast in a Facebook post. “It is important to stop illicit narcotics from being brought into our county. The TIU’s dedication to halting the distribution train into Citrus County is truly commendable, and thanks to their hard work we have two fewer dealers and a large amount of deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine off our streets.”
CCSO charged both men with trafficking methamphetamine over 200 grams, trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams, sale of methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a place of worship, illegal use of a 2-way communication device and possession of paraphernalia. Joyce also got hit with a possession of crack cocaine charge.