Alexa Gabriella Demariano, of North Port, has been adjudicated guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years of probation, for drug trafficking. In June, the defendant was convicted of Trafficking in Fentanyl 14 Grams or More and Trafficking in Methamphetamine 200 Grams or More, following a trial in Lee County.
Assistant State Attorneys Melanie Sanders and Olivia Ferrell prosecuted the case.
This case started on August 26, 2021, when a Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a Jeep Cherokee merge onto I-75, repeatedly tapping the brakes. It then veered into the outside lane approximately seven times in a one-mile duration. A traffic stop was conducted as the vehicle exited at Daniels Parkway.
When the deputy asked for the defendant’s identification, they noticed the smell of marijuana and observed lots of clutter in the vehicle. The defendant admitted to marijuana being in the vehicle and was asked to step out. Upon arrival of another deputy, a walk-around of the vehicle was conducted with Lee County Sheriff’s Office K9 Cairo. The K9 alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics.
A search of the Jeep revealed a black bag inside a purse in the rear of the vehicle. Inside the bag were syringes and a large amount of drugs, including clear baggies of crystalized methamphetamine and Fentanyl. There was also a scale, a mirror with white powder residue, and other items. In the purse were notebooks identifying payment information involving drug deals, as well as other documents containing the defendant’s information.
The defendant admitted knowledge of the drugs and said she was delivering illegal narcotics from Fort Lauderdale to North Port. She said some of the cash in her purse was payment and that she utilized an app to receive other payments for drugs. She admitted that the two cellphones in the car belonged to her, one of which she used to communicate with other drug dealers and users. Texts messages from that phone corroborated her statements and events. She was immediately taken into custody.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office, Communications Director