Two Tampa teenagers are facing multiple firearm-related charges after Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies executed a search warrant at a residence on Wednesday, recovering firearms and narcotics inside, according to authorities. Carl Petro III, 18, and Marco Parrilla Jr., 17, were arrested following the search, though sheriff's officials have not yet released the specific charges filed against either teen.
Inside the Tampa Home: An AR Pistol, Two Handguns and Drugs
The firearms investigation led deputies to the search warrant, according to Tampa Free Press, which reported that deputies recovered an AR pistol and two handguns from the home. Narcotics were also found during the search, though sheriff's officials have not disclosed the types or quantities of drugs seized, the outlet noted.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office confirmed that both teenagers were arrested Wednesday, with Parrilla facing multiple firearm-related charges and Petro charged the same way, per the same report. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional suspects have been announced.
Where Florida Law Splits Sharply by Age
Petro's age puts him in a different legal category than Parrilla under Florida law. Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled in June 2026 that state bans on adults ages 18 to 20 carrying concealed firearms are unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, according to Courthouse News, and state officials halted enforcement of the under-21 concealed carry ban following that ruling.
Parrilla, at 17, falls under a stricter statute barring any minor under 18 from possessing a firearm except under narrow exceptions such as supervised hunting or marksmanship activities, per Sammis Law Firm. A first violation is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to three days in secure juvenile detention, while repeat offenses escalate to a third-degree felony with mandatory 15-day detention, the firm notes. Licensed gun dealers remain barred from selling firearms to anyone under 21 under Florida Statute § 790.065(13), according to FDLE, a restriction that followed the 2018 Parkland school shooting.
HCSO's Dedicated Gun Squad and Its Federal Track Record
Cases like this one typically fall under the purview of the Gunfire Response Investigations Team, or GRIT, a specialized unit Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister created in July 2021 to centralize shooting investigations and proactive firearm enforcement, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The unit works with federal partners, including the ATF, to analyze ballistic evidence. A joint violent-crime initiative between the sheriff's office and the U.S. Attorney's Office led to federal prosecutions of 69 people and the removal of 53 illegal firearms in Hillsborough County during 2022, per the ATF.
A Familiar Pattern of Teen Gun Arrests Across the County
The Petro and Parrilla case follows a string of similar arrests across Hillsborough County this year, as Hoodline has reported. Deputies arrested a Seffner teen after finding six guns inside his home last Friday during a probation check, and two teenagers were caught with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun after ditching them during a foot chase at Brandon Exchange mall in June. In March, deputies executing a warrant on North 12th Street in Tampa found a loaded gun and drug stash, a combination of weapons and narcotics similar to what deputies reported finding this week.
Four teens were also arrested with handguns earlier this year in a Plant City backpack gun bust, adding to a pattern local advocates say requires more than enforcement alone. Hillsborough County supports diversion programs such as Safe and Sound Hillsborough's Youth Gun Offender Program, which offers counseling, anger management and mentorship to youth arrested on firearm charges, according to WUSF.
What Could Come Next for Petro and Parrilla
If prosecutors ultimately file felony charges tied to the narcotics found alongside the firearms, Florida's 10-20-Life sentencing framework under Florida Statute § 775.087 could subject either teen to mandatory minimum prison time for committing a felony while in possession of a firearm, according to The Wade Law Firm. Both Petro and Parrilla remain presumed innocent as the case moves through the courts. It remains unclear whether federal prosecutors will adopt the case given the presence of an AR pistol and narcotics, an open question given Hillsborough's history of federal firearm partnerships.
