Florida drug dealers dealt 25-year prison sentences

FLORIDA – Two Florida men have each received 25-year prison sentences for dealing in fentanyl, the Office of Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced.

A court previously found defendants Carlos Alberto Jiminez Rodriguez and Antonio Izquierdo guilty for trafficking fentanyl, a first-degree felony, and conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, also a first-degree felony.

This week, following arguments by Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge Keith Carsten sentenced Rodriguez and Izquierdo to 25-year prison sentences each.

“If you traffic fentanyl in Florida, you will go to prison for a long time,” said Moody.

“This synthetic opioid is killing tens of thousands of people across our nation every year, and here in Florida, we will prosecute anyone caught trafficking this deadly substance in our state to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to a law enforcement investigation, a tip provided an undercover officer with a lead on a drug dealer named Carlito. After further investigation, the officer identified Carlito as Rodriguez.

Rodriguez sold heroin to the undercover officer and eventually introduced the officer to the supplier, as well as to another fentanyl dealer, Izquierdo.

The undercover officer conducted other interactions with Rodriguez and Izquierdo to gather enough evidence to present a thorough case in court. Rodriguez and Izquierdo both sold and delivered more than 28 grams of fentanyl, Moody’s office said.

Assistant Statewide Prosecutor David Gillespie prosecuted this case, and the Honorable Keith Carsten of the Ninth Judicial Circuit sentenced each defendant to 25-year prison sentences.