Erasmo Herrera was sentenced to 10 years in prison as a Habitual Felony Offender for a Charlotte County drug trafficking case. He was adjudicated guilty of Trafficking Amphetamine – More than 14 Grams and Possession or Use of Drug Paraphernalia.
For those crimes, he was also sentenced to 5 years of probation following prison, must pay a $50,000 fine, and will be subject to random search and seizure by law enforcement to ensure he does not have drugs in his possession. He will also have a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew while on probation.
The defendant pled open to the court. Every defendant can plea straight to the judge for sentencing and give up their right to a trial. This is not a plea agreement.
Assistant State Attorney Nolan M. Deming prosecuted the case.
The case started on August 1, 2023, when a Punta Gorda Police Officer responded to a dispute in the back alley of a pizza shop on Tamiami Trail. The defendant was in the alley with a woman when law enforcement arrived. As the officer spoke with the woman, the defendant walked to the passenger side of the patrol vehicle and crouched down. He then threw a cigarette pack into the grass.
The officer retrieved the cigarette pack and inside was a clear plastic bag containing crystal like rocks that tested positive for methamphetamine. The defendant was taken into custody and when searched, the officer found a plastic bag in his pocket, also containing methamphetamine and a pipe with narcotics residue inside.
The overall weight of the drugs was 16.19 grams, a trafficking amount.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director