In a crackdown on drug trafficking within South Florida, a total of 27 individuals have been detained by federal authorities, stemming from alleged cocaine distribution networks entrenched in the Florida Keys and Miami-Dade County. Highlighted in the group of suspects is powerboat racing team owner John Robert Strama Jr., whose charges include conspiracy to distribute a significant quantity of cocaine and utilizing a minor in the drug trade, as reported by Local 10.
Following a federal grand jury indictment handed down in August, FBI agents conducted raids yesterday, capturing individuals linked to various positions such as Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority employment and charter boat operations, according to a statement made by the U.S. Department of Justice. John Robert Strama Jr., 42, has been identified as the owner of the JS Racing S-7 and now faces a potential life sentence in federal prison for his alleged involvement in the drug trafficking operation, as detailed by NBC Miami.
The investigation resulted in the indictment of numerous individuals, varying in degrees of alleged culpability. Suspects like Daniel Delgado and Orlando Rene Gonzalez, among others, are accused of conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Meanwhile, Kenyatta Scott Jr. and Macarthur Junior Sheppard could be facing maximum sentences of up to 80 years for distributing cocaine within proximity of playgrounds, as disclosed by Local 10.
Additional repercussions from this operation could extend beyond prison time, with federal authorities seeking forfeiture of assets linked to the drug trafficking activities. These assets include a 39-foot speedboat, three real estate properties in the Keys, and other noteworthy possessions. Arrests began yesterday, and suspects started appearing in various South Florida federal courtrooms, signaling the commencement of legal proceedings for those indicted, as NBC Miami reports.
The crackdown involved a coordinated effort, with the FBI’s Miami office taking the lead, aided by FBI agents in Detroit, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, and local law enforcement from Miami-Dade and Homestead police departments. Strama, alongside several of the arrested, were revealed to be associates in the drug trafficking operation with vessels and their occupations used as potential covers or facilitators for the illicit activities, authorities said.
