A standard traffic stop for unlit trailer lights on U.S. 1 in Key Largo turned into a major drug bust Friday night, resulting in the arrest of two Miami residents.
Nicholas Sean Pichardo, 25, and Claudia Yero, 29, were taken into custody after deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office pulled over their vehicle. Both individuals now face multiple felony drug charges.
The incident began around 9:03 p.m. near Mile Marker 100 when deputies spotted a Ram pickup truck pulling a trailer without any functioning trailer lights. Upon pulling the vehicle over, deputies identified Pichardo as the driver. Investigators noted that Pichardo’s Florida driver’s license was expired and that he showed visible signs of intoxication. After failing a series of field sobriety exercises, he was placed under arrest.
READ: Florida Shoppers Tackle Repeat Offender Inside Ross Dress For Less After Exposure To 9-Year-Old Girl
A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a variety of illegal substances. Deputies found a THC vape pen alongside three distinct baggies of narcotics. According to authorities, field tests on the recovered substances came back positive for cocaine residue, a pink powdery substance identified as MDMA or ecstasy, and a white powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl.
Following the vehicle search, both Pichardo and Yero were transported to the Monroe County Jail.
While at the detention facility, authorities discovered additional narcotics on Pichardo. He was found to be smuggling multiple Oxycodone pills into the jail.
In total, both Pichardo and Yero are charged with possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, and possession of MDMA. Pichardo faces several additional charges, including driving under the influence (DUI), smuggling contraband into a jail facility, and refusal to submit to a lawful urine test.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
