Cocaine dealer who was among those busted during 2014 operation facing new charges

A convicted cocaine dealer who was part of a major bust in 2014 is now facing new drug charges less than seven months after being released from prison.

Irvin Brown, 30, was arrested Sunday night and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a church, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest without violence and possessing an open container of alcohol. He was being held at the Sarasota County jail on bonds totaling $21,120.

Brown’s arrest was the result of an effort by Sarasota police to address ongoing reports of narcotics sales openly occurring in the area of 23rd Street and Leon Avenue, near a local church and park in the Newtown neighborhood.

Just after 11 p.m. Sunday, police officers said they spotted Brown leaning against a car and holding a red Solo cup that contained alcohol. Officers attempted to arrest Brown based on his drinking in public, but he resisted.

After the four officers struggled to get him into custody, one officer found a large pill bottle in his front coat pocket filled with 37 pieces of freshly made crack cocaine.

“The crack cocaine was so fresh it was still wet from the cooking process,” the officer stated in the arrest report.

Brown was among the 10 suspected drug dealers arrested during the 18-month-long operation Operation Sarasota Cartel II in 2014 by the Sarasota Police Department with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. During that operation, 12 kilos of powder cocaine valued at more than $500,000 were seized.

On June 15, Brown was released from prison after serving three years of a four-year sentence for convictions of cocaine trafficking and sales.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Cocaine dealer who was among those busted during 2014 operation facing new charges."