MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced that seven Bradenton residents have pleaded guilty to charges related to the distribution and possession of methamphetamine.
The individuals involved are Clemente Betancourt (28), Estevan Betancourt (19), Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (29), Adonis Bonilla (29), Omar Mejia (29), Jesse Leahy (48), and Alexander Perez (30). Each faces the possibility of a life sentence in federal prison, though sentencing dates are yet to be determined.
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Court documents reveal that from March 2022 to May 2023, the group conspired to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine across Bradenton and Manatee County. The guilty pleas also encompass substantive charges linked to specific incidents within the same timeframe.
During their arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Clemente and Estevan Betancourt in Bradenton, where they confiscated three firearms, about one pound of methamphetamine, 22 cellphones, as well as quantities of cocaine and marijuana. The United States is also seeking forfeiture of all properties tied to the proceeds from these offenses.
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The investigation was carried out by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), involving Homeland Security Investigations Tampa and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Support also came from the Central Florida Gulf Coast High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, which includes multiple local law enforcement agencies. The case is currently being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.
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