Bradenton man arrested after SWAT raid uncovers meth and guns, police say
Bradenton police arrested a 44-year-old man suspected of dealing drugs after a SWAT raid uncovered methamphetamine, cash and multiple firearms at his home, according to the department.
Officers arrested Olvin Gutierrez Ponce on Tuesday on four charges, including two counts of possession with intent to sell a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a house of worship, according to Bradenton Police Department spokesperson Meredith Censullo. He also faces charges for possessing drug paraphernalia and an altered firearm.
A Manatee County judge approved a search warrant after investigators alleged in court documents that Ponce was known to sell crystal meth and crack cocaine. The search targeted Ponce’s East Bradenton home, where officers said they found drugs, cash and other items commonly associated with narcotics sales.
According to an arrest report, officers found 1.1 grams of crack cocaine in Ponce’s front pocket and 3.6 grams of meth inside the home, along with a large scale, a stack of cash and a bag filled with clear plastic baggies.
Investigators say they also seized three guns from the home. Detectives said one of the guns had gems affixed to it that covered the serial number, leading to the altered firearm charge. Another had been reported stolen in 2022 in a case investigated by the Palmetto Police Department, according to the arrest report.
BPD’s Crime Reduction Team led the operation with help from the department’s SWAT unit, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Censullo.
Police said the raid brought the Crime Reduction Team’s total number of firearms seized this year to 34 guns and 87 since the unit launched in mid-2024.
Ponce remains in the Manatee County Jail with bond set at $20,500, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office website.
This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 1:39 PM.
