Detectives seize fentanyl, other drugs, guns

Detectives confiscated nearly an ounce of fentanyl — already prepared for individual sale — in addition to various quantities of marijuana, powder and rock cocaine and oxycodone on Friday, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives also found three guns during their search, one of which was reported stolen.

A house in the 2300 block of First Avenue East in Palmetto had been under investigation by the sheriff’s Special Investigations Division during the last month, and detectives were able to obtain a search warrant, according to a news release.

At 4:42 p.m. Friday, Rashaad McDonald, 23, Joseph Oliver, 38, and Howard Butler, 42, attempted to flee when detectives arrived with a search warrant, but they were quickly apprehended, the release said.

During the search of the home, detectives seized 28 grams of fentanyl, 160 grams of marijuana, two grams of powder cocaine, three grams of oxycodone and 62 grams of rock cocaine. The fentanyl had been packaged into 0.1 gram bags for distribution.

The bust was part of an ongoing effort to locate the source of fentanyl in the community that has been cut into heroin or sold as heroin, which has contributed to making Manatee County the epicenter of the state’s overdose epidemic.

McDonald was charged with three counts of possession of firearm by convicted felon, grand theft of a firearm, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, resisting arrest without violence and possession of paraphernalia.

Oliver was charged with possession of fentanyl, trafficking cocaine, possession of oxycodone, felony possession of marijuana, resisting arrest without violence and possession of paraphernalia.

Butler was charged with resisting arrest without violence.

William Boswink, 35, was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of paraphernalia.

There were no injuries reported during the search and arrests.

This story was originally published December 31, 2016 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Detectives seize fentanyl, other drugs, guns."