Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police Department recently worked together on a residential search warrant on Stock Island.
The operation involved the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations and SWAT teams. Investigators arrested a 68-year-old father and his 35-year-old son after locating fentanyl, methamphetamine and three firearms inside the residence.
Sheriff Ramsay said the amount of drugs reached trafficking levels, resulting in enhanced charges.
“They were dealing in drugs, fentanyl and methamphetamines,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “So some really violent drugs, some really bad stuff.”
The firearms recovered included an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, a semi-automatic handgun and an M1 carbine rifle.
Sheriff Ramsay said both suspects were convicted felons who were prohibited from possessing firearms.
He said the presence of both drugs and weapons prompted the Sheriff’s Office to use its tactical team during the operation.
“When you have drugs, not uncommon to have guns together,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “And you’re more likely to be involved in some type of gunfight with people who are going to jail for long term for trafficking and narcotics.”
Sheriff Ramsay said the investigation demonstrates the importance of cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police.
He said the agencies share responsibility for combating drug activity that crosses city and county boundaries.
The Sheriff’s Office also made several arrests in another narcotics investigation involving the sale of fentanyl. Sheriff Ramsay said three people were arrested following a joint investigation involving the Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police.
“These dealers are dealing in the city and the county,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “We both, the chief and myself, both have interest. We don’t care who arrests them; we just want them arrested.”
Sheriff Ramsay said the Sheriff’s Office is particularly focused on fentanyl cases because of the number of deaths associated with the drug.
In another case, authorities are searching for 53-year-old Armando Lopez, who Sheriff Ramsay described as a dangerous and violent fugitive.
Lopez is wanted after failing to appear for the remainder of his trial on charges stemming from a violent domestic incident. Sheriff Ramsay said Lopez was ultimately found guilty on all charges after the trial continued in his absence.
Sheriff Ramsay said the underlying case involved an alleged attack on Lopez’s estranged wife and children, followed by an assault on a deputy, the theft of a marked patrol vehicle and a subsequent carjacking and high-speed pursuit.
He said much of the alleged criminal activity was captured through home security cameras, body-worn cameras and patrol vehicle cameras.
Sheriff Ramsay urged anyone with information about Lopez’s whereabouts to contact law enforcement. Tips can be provided anonymously.
Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office is also investigating the theft of more than $2,400 in goods and services at the Cheeca Lodge and Spa.
Sheriff Ramsay said guests had reported unusually high charges on their rooms, including food, drinks, clothing and other merchandise. Investigators determined that suspects had allegedly used false names, false room numbers and other information to charge purchases to other guests’ rooms.
A 26-year-old Clearwater man was arrested as the second suspect in the case. Sheriff Ramsay said investigators worked with resort security and Clearwater law enforcement to identify and locate the suspects.
He said the case is another example of the importance of cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
The Sheriff’s Office also recently recovered another suspected kilogram of cocaine that washed ashore in the Upper Keys.
Sheriff Ramsay said the package, found in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park area of Key Largo, had packaging similar to cocaine packages previously recovered in the Lower Keys.
He said authorities have recently found multiple kilos of cocaine washing ashore in different parts of the Florida Keys.
The packages are turned over to federal authorities, who conduct intelligence work to determine the drugs’ possible origin and destination before they are ultimately disposed of.
Sheriff Ramsay also highlighted the work of Marine Deputy Luis Guiardinu, who recently cited a Lake Worth man accused of illegally harvesting lobster near Horseshoe Beach.
The man was found with eight lobster, including two over the legal bag limit and three that were undersized.
Sheriff Ramsay said protecting the Keys’ natural resources remains an important part of the Sheriff’s Office’s work, even though the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has primary responsibility for resource enforcement.
“We just have to keep trying to protect the resources and try to discourage people from harvesting illegally, poaching,” Sheriff Ramsay said.
Sheriff Ramsay also addressed the arrest of a Monroe County corrections officer accused of stalking a former girlfriend.
The employee was arrested after allegedly repeatedly calling and texting the woman, going to her home and looking through the windows after she refused to respond.
Sheriff Ramsay said the incident was investigated by Key West Police because it occurred within the city.
He said the employee was terminated from the Sheriff’s Office.
“We have to hold ourselves at a higher standard,” Sheriff Ramsay said. “We’re not going to tolerate these type of actions.”
Sheriff Ramsay said the Sheriff’s Office makes a point of publicly addressing misconduct involving its employees rather than attempting to keep such cases out of the public eye.
“We deal with it quickly, responsively, transparently, and we hold people accountable,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office also dealt with difficult conditions during last week’s heavy rainfall and flooding across the Keys. Sheriff Ramsay said the combination of heavy rain and king tides created challenges for both residents and law enforcement officers on patrol.
He said deputies had to navigate flooded areas, pooled water and disabled vehicles while responding to calls throughout the affected areas.