A Port Orange man known around town as "Tony Montana" has been convicted in federal court on a slate of drug and gun charges, and the nickname is about the only thing working in his favor right now. A federal jury found 54-year-old Anthony Joseph Brulewicz guilty this week, and with an armed career criminal designation in play, he is now looking at a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the WFTV report, jurors convicted Brulewicz on four counts of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. With the armed career criminal enhancement, prosecutors say he faces that 20-year mandatory minimum and could theoretically see as much as 205 years behind bars.
Armed Career Criminal Label Raises Stakes
The armed career criminal tag is a major escalation in any gun case involving repeat offenders. It sharply increases statutory penalties for people with certain prior convictions who are caught with firearms. Past press releases from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida detail how those designations can stretch sentences into decades and are regularly pursued under the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida.
Prosecutors' Evidence and Timeline
During the trial, jurors were walked through a series of law-enforcement-controlled buys that painted a detailed picture of Brulewicz's operation. Prosecutors presented evidence that he completed five such controlled purchases, selling roughly 30 grams of methamphetamine along with six firearms: three pistols, two shotguns, and a rifle. All of it, investigators said, moved out of his Port Orange residence.
According to WFTV, Brulewicz was indicted on December 17, 2025. His sentencing hearing is currently set for August 31, 2026. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with the Port Orange Police Department.
What to Expect at Sentencing
When Brulewicz returns to court for sentencing, the judge will have to balance the statutory mandatory minimums that come with his convictions against the federal sentencing guidelines and his criminal history. It is not a simple math problem, but the armed career criminal designation gives the court far less room to go light.
The prosecution is one of several recent federal cases in the Middle District of Florida that focus on dismantling local drug-for-gun pipelines, a priority that the U.S. Attorney's Office has been spotlighting in recent public statements, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida.
