Today Ray Thomas was sentenced to 15 years in prison as a Habitual Felony Offender for multiple drug charges.
In February 2018 Thomas was arrested by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office following a traffic stop after narcotics were found in his vehicle. The drugs found included heroin and fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Thomas admitted to officers that he was being fronted drugs by a supplier and had to sell the drugs in his possession to pay his supplier back. He did not identify his supplier.
On July 1, 2019 Thomas entered a plea straight to the court to the charges of Trafficking in Fentanyl, Trafficking in Heroin, Possession of a Ethylpentylone, Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of Paraphernalia. All defendants have a right to forgo a jury trial and plea straight to a judge for sentencing. At the sentencing hearing the State asked that the defendant be designated a Habitual Felony Offender and requested 15 years in prison. The designation as an HFO increases the amount of prison time a defendant can be sentenced to.
Thomas was sentenced to 15 years in prison on the trafficking charges and 5 years on the possession charges, to be served concurrently. He was given credit time-served on the misdemeanor Possession of Paraphernalia charge. He must also pay a $50,000 fine as part of the sentence on the trafficking charges.
Assistant State Attorney Kate Rumley handled the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125