At an age when most people are comparing prescription prices, Miami police say 82-year-old Tomas Casanova was spotted handing out rocks of crack cocaine in a Little Havana clinic parking lot.
According to an arrest report, officers watched Casanova on Tuesday in the lot of a neighborhood medical office as he allegedly passed crack to two men near a tree. Police say they later recovered a folded white napkin from his pocket that held 11 small rocks of crack, along with $50 in cash. Casanova now faces multiple drug charges, including an allegation that he sold crack within 1,000 feet of a church or convenience business.
As reported by NBC 6 South Florida, officers were conducting surveillance in the parking lot of Centrum Health at 434 Southwest 12th Avenue in Little Havana when 65-year-old Frank Rodriguez-Diaz bicycled toward a group and handed cash to 58-year-old Raymond Vega. The report says Vega then gave the money to Casanova, who stood up and pulled a folded napkin from his pocket before allegedly handing one rock to each man. An officer signaled a takedown and all three were detained.
Drug-Free Zone Law Raises Stakes
Florida law increases penalties for drug offenses carried out "in, on, or within 1,000 feet" of certain locations, a designation prosecutors can use to elevate charges. Florida Statutes Section 893.13 lists those drug-free zones, which include places of worship and convenience businesses, and specifies that offenses within that radius can be charged as first- or second-degree felonies depending on the substance. That enhancement can add years to a potential sentence if a conviction follows.
Prior Record and New Charges
Public records cited in NBC 6 South Florida's reporting show Casanova had a prior Miami-Dade arrest in 2014 on allegations tied to the sale or possession with intent to sell cocaine and oxycodone. The recent arrest report, according to NBC 6, says officers found the 11 rocks and $50 on Casanova and charged him with selling crack within 1,000 feet of a church or convenience store, possession of crack and other drug offenses. The two men detained alongside him were identified in the report as Vega, 58, and Rodriguez-Diaz, 65.
Little Havana Sees Stepped-Up Enforcement
Other local outlets have noted additional police activity in the Little Havana neighborhood in recent weeks, including arrests tied to violent incidents. For example, WSVN reported a May 14 arrest after a shooting in a Little Havana apartment, underscoring how the neighborhood has seen a range of police responses. The current case will move through Miami-Dade's criminal process as prosecutors decide on formal filings and court scheduling.
