Bradenton man sentenced after selling designer drugs, Manatee County prosecutors say
.jpg "A judge sentenced Devon Lamar Love to 19 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, drug trafficking and driving with a suspended license, according to the State Attorney’s Office.")
A Bradenton man is set to spend 19 years in prison for drug trafficking and weapons charges, the State Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
A jury found Devon Lamar Love, 38, guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, trafficking a synthetic stimulant and driving with a suspended license, according to a news release.
On Thursday, a judge sentenced Love to 15 years in prison for the weapons charges and an additional 4 years for drug trafficking, the State Attorney’s Office said.
The maximum sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is 15 years, according to Florida Statutes.
According to court records, Love filed a notice of appeal Monday.
Detectives said when they pulled Love over on Feb. 18, 2021, they saw drugs in a small transparent bag on the center console in the cupholder.
When they removed Love from his vehicle, detectives said they found a large baggie of “white crystalline rocks” in his pants pockets. These objects tested positive for methamphetamine in the field, according to the sheriff’s office.
Further forensic laboratory testing confirmed the substance was eutylone, a designer drug. It is similar to MDMA, which is more commonly known as ecstasy, according to a news release.
Detectives said they also found a loaded firearm in the driver’s seat that Love was sitting in.
Testing later confirmed that Love’s DNA was on the firearm in multiple locations, according to detectives.
Love had seven prior felony convictions at the time, including a home invasion robbery with a firearm and multiple drug charges, according to court records.
“This marks the end of the prosecution against the defendant that has been going on for years. In sentencing the defendant to the maximum penalty allowed, the court took into consideration the totality of the circumstances, including the fact that the firearm was loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammo, the defendant’s failure to appear at a mandatory pre-trial court date and his lengthy criminal history,” Assistant State Attorney Michael Anolfo said in a written statement.
