Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe has announced a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking with the indictment of fourteen Polk County residents on narcotics trafficking and firearms-related charges.
The accused include Curtis Charles Tinsley (47), Tyler Anthony Devaney (32), Alvin Antonio Barnes III (47), Tonyo Cortez Evans (39), Lamar Anthony Hamilton (43), Albert Lewis III (48), Tyrese Leon Pratt (39), Antonio Groover (32), Kenji Antwana Miller (38), Melvin Sharon Murray (48), Robert James Johnson IV (32), Steven Wayne Gay (55), Tiffany Elaine Creach (43), and Sabrina Marie Taylor (40). If convicted, each faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The indictment alleges that the group conspired to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. Among them, Devaney, Barnes, Hamilton, Pratt, and Groover are charged with possessing firearms or ammunition as convicted felons. Devaney, Pratt, and Hamilton face additional charges for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking offenses.
Tinsley, Devaney, Barnes, Evans, Hamilton, Groover, Miller, Murray, and Gay have also been accused of committing the alleged offenses following convictions for serious drug or violent felonies. The indictment serves as a formal charge against the defendants, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo leading the prosecution. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation and Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at eliminating cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Public Corruption|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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