K9 Helps Capture ‘Major Drug Trafficker’

BRADENTON, FL — A 28-year-old Bradenton man is facing a long list of felony charges while nursing a “minor dog bite,” according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Robert Harrell was brought into custody with help from a K9 Thursday.

According to the sheriff’s office, special investigations and SWAT team members intended to serve a search warrant at a home in the 5700 block of 7th Street East around 3 p.m. April 27. When they arrived, they found out Harrell had left before the warrant was served.

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Deputies, however, caught up with Harrell and attempted to stop his vehicle, an email from the agency said. Harrell is accused of fleeing, then ditching the vehicle and taking off on foot. One of the agency’s K9 units caught up with him first, the email noted. He suffered a minor dog bite as a result.

Deputies say they didn’t initiate a pursuit while Harrell was fleeing in the vehicle. Instead, they followed along, keeping him under constant surveillance. The agency noted that move paid off for them, but not Harrell.

“While Harrell was fleeing he had thrown items from his vehicle in nearby ditches,” the email said. “The items were recovered.” They included “trafficking amounts of cocaine,” a felony amount of marijuana a firearm and cash. Since Harrell is a convicted felon, he now faces possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charges. He was also charged with armed trafficking in cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to sell and fleeing to elude charges.

Harrell was booked into the Manatee County Jail Thursday. He remained there Friday morning. In announcing Harrell's capture, they described him as a "major drug trafficker" in the email.

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