A west-central Florida man is accused of running a drug ring that distributed 132 pounds of cocaine obtained from a source in west Texas, authorities said.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri announced the dismantling of a major drug ring he said was headed by Daniel Cruz Pinales, 35, of Brandon.
Gualtieri said the seizure was part of “Operation Hall of Fame.” Detectives recently learned that cocaine was being transported by truck tractors from El Paso to Pinellas County, where it was distributed by a group allegedly headed by Pinales, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Gualtieri said he had been tracking Pinales for three years, but with the help of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was able to learn about the operation by using wiretaps, WTVT reported.
“I’ll acknowledge, kind of hate to acknowledge it, I guess, but he’s pretty good at what he did, and he eluded us, but he wasn’t good enough,” Gualtieri said, according to the television station.
The break came when detectives conducted surveillance of one of the transports on July 10, which led to the arrest of Pinales and eight other suspects.
Pinales was charged with one count of trafficking cocaine, online records show.
Others arrested include:
- Jesus Morales, 36, one count of trafficking cocaine.
- Arturo Carlos, 32, Canutillo, Texas, two counts of trafficking cocaine.
- Joaquin Enriquez, 20, Los Ranchos, New Mexico, one count of trafficking cocaine.
- Tyler Green, 33, Largo, Florida, four counts of trafficking cocaine.
- Marice Higgins, 33, Seminole, Florida, eight counts of trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to sell marijuana, and felon in possession of a firearm.
- Cody Dent, 35, Clearwater, Florida, one count of trafficking cocaine.
- Brian Varner, 39, Clearwater, Florida, eight counts of trafficking cocaine.
- Ryan Sturgis, 34, Largo, Florida, one count of trafficking cocaine.
Investigators said the alleged drug ring delivered narcotics monthly in the trucks, WTVT reported. Gualtieri said the suspects used two inoperable tractors as props to hide the cocaine while traveling from Texas to Florida, according to the television station.
“This is the largest drug seizure from a single Pinellas County drug trafficker that I know of in the past 40-plus years,” Gualtieri said during a news conference. “The amount of cocaine that Daniel Pinales was putting on the streets of Pinellas County is just simply astronomical.”
Pnales was arrested in Tampa on July 10 and remains in the Hillsborough County Jail, online booking records show. Bail was set at $2.25 million. If convicted of the charge, Pinales faces a minimum of 15 years in state prison, WTVT reported.
Gualtieri said Pinales only operated several days a month, making it easier for him to elude authorities, according to WTVT.
“We watched them extensively, and all he did was go to the gym all day and hang out,” Gualtieri said. “So, you know, not anymore.”
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