Tampa, Florida – Tampa resident Raymond Malara has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. On August 3, 2021, Malara pleaded guilty to the charges.
A joint law enforcement investigation revealed that between October 2020 and February 2021, Malara and others were distributing cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana in the Middle District of Florida. The investigation included surveillance on Malara and his associates, who were seen obtaining and distributing narcotics at various locations, including his barbershop in Pinellas County, the Westshore Plaza shopping mall in Tampa, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and other locations.
Agents executed a federal search warrant at Malara’s apartment on January 21, 2021, and found cardboard boxes containing vacuum-sealed bags of cocaine and marijuana, scales, and piles of cash stacked next to a money counter. Agents also located several firearms, including two fully loaded automatic rifles with high-capacity magazines and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Malara is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law due to a previous conviction for second-degree murder.
Agents also searched Malara’s vehicle and recovered fentanyl pills and approximately four kilograms of marijuana from the trunk of the car. The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle sentenced Malara to nine years in federal prison for his role in the trafficking operation. Malara was also ordered to forfeit $37,820, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. The OCDETF program identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Assistant United States Attorneys Diego Novaes and Suzanne Nebesky prosecuted the case. Malara’s sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in organized crime and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to disrupt and dismantle these organizations.
The OCDETF program is a key component of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat organized crime in the Middle District of Florida. The program brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt the activities of high-level criminal organizations.
Related Federal Cases
- David Burkes, Fentanyl Distribution, Florida 2021 · Alaska
- Palacio Valdes Farley, Drug Trafficking, Florida 2019 · California
- Oscar Marsiglia Barrios, Cocaine Conspiracy, Florida 2021 – max 70 chars · Florida
- John Doe, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Washington County, 2023 · Alabama
- Marcus Flintroy, Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms Possession, Pens… · Michigan
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug Trafficking|Organized CrimeDrug Trafficking|Organized CrimeDrug Trafficking|Organized CrimeDrug Trafficking|Organized Crime