A routine probation check on Clinton Street turned into a major gun and drug bust in Dover, with deputies arresting Adrian Bueno after finding what investigators describe as a sizable cache of weapons and narcotics split between two family properties.
Bueno, whom the sheriff's office describes as a convicted felon barred from having firearms, was taken into custody Thursday on a series of weapons and drug charges. Detectives say the haul included machine-gun conversion devices along with pounds of cannabis and THC products. The investigation remains active as detectives process the evidence and coordinate with prosecutors.
According to a post from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, probation officers first found a firearm in a bedroom at the Clinton Street home during a Feb. 19 check. Detectives then secured a search warrant for a vacant, family-owned property directly across the street, which the agency says "was being used to store firearms and narcotics."
Inside, investigators reported seizing 11 machine-gun conversion devices, multiple firearms and ammunition, about 6.95 pounds of cannabis, roughly 4.95 pounds of cannabis edibles, 3.4 pounds of THC liquids, 19 grams of amphetamines and nearly 12 grams of cocaine. The sheriff's post also lists a string of weapons and narcotics counts tied to Bueno, including multiple charges linked to the conversion devices and firearm possession.
State law and penalties
Under Florida law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition, and a violation of that ban is itself a felony. The prohibition and its elements are codified in Florida Statutes § 790.23, according to the Florida Legislature.
Local defense attorneys note that findings of actual possession in such cases can trigger mandatory minimum sentences and other enhancements, which can significantly raise the stakes for anyone charged with firearm offenses after a prior felony conviction.
Federal rules on conversion devices
At the federal level, parts that are "designed and intended solely and exclusively" to turn a firearm into a machinegun are treated as machineguns under federal law, and their possession is generally prohibited. The definitions appear in 18 U.S.C. § 921 as published by Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute, and prosecutors have relied on provisions such as 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) to bring cases involving auto-sears and similar conversion components.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has in recent years prioritized enforcement involving conversion devices, particularly in cases it identifies as high risk.
Enforcement trends and local impact
Prosecutors and legal observers across the country have been paying closer attention to machine-gun conversion parts and untraceable weapon components, even as courts and advocates continue to debate the limits of those laws. Groups monitoring those cases report that both enforcement actions and related litigation have been on the rise.
The discovery of more than half a dozen pounds of cannabis products alongside a stack of conversion devices in a small Dover property highlights how narcotics investigations often intersect with weapons cases, including in suburban neighborhoods. For nearby residents, the bust serves as a reminder that local law enforcement is actively targeting both large drug caches and potentially dangerous weaponry.
Case status
The sheriff's office says Bueno was arrested following the Feb. 19 probation check and the subsequent searches. Detectives obtained a search warrant and recovered the items detailed by the agency, and booking along with formal charging will move forward through the county system as prosecutors review the case.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office through its social media post or by submitting an anonymous tip via the agency's Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Tip411 portal.
