CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – Heather Lynne Duarte-Wright, 41, has been convicted of trafficking in fentanyl and possession of paraphernalia in the courtroom of Judge Joel D. Fritton. This conviction, coupled with Duarte-Wright’s status as a two-time convicted felon, could result in a life sentence as a Habitual Felony Offender.
“It only takes two milligrams of Fentanyl to kill a person,” stated Walter Forgie, Chief Assistant State Attorney. “And here this defendant was, riding on the back of a scooter, with a pouch of enough Fentanyl to take out a fraction of the county’s entire population.”
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The case originated on August 10, 2023, when a Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputy stopped a motor scooter for lacking a license plate. During the stop, Duarte-Wright, a passenger on the scooter, was asked to step off. The deputy noticed a black zippered pouch partially concealed under her shirt.
Duarte-Wright admitted to the officer that the pouch contained paraphernalia and “a little bit of Fentanyl.” The deputy removed the pouch, which contained a clear plastic baggie with a white substance and hypodermic needles.
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A field test of the white substance was positive for fentanyl, weighing approximately 20 grams. Further testing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the substance was fentanyl.
Assistant State Attorneys Patsey Jacobs and Elizabeth Colombrito successfully prosecuted the case.
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