Drugs, Guns, Money Seized In Oldsmar Drug Bust

OLDSMAR, FL — Four people have been arrested for various drug and gun charges after the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office served search warrants on two homes in Oldsmar Thursday.

On Aug. 16, detectives began an investigation after receiving a tip that twin brothers Mason and Nicholas Aponte, 20, were selling large amounts of drugs from two residences in Oldsmar — a condominium complex at 133 Sabal Court and an apartment at 100 Old Village Way.

Detectives said they also learned that Karina Cruz-Nonthe, 19, of Clearwater posted that she had drugs for sale on her social media accounts and then sold the drugs from one of the Oldsmar residences.

During their search of the condominium, detectives said they discovered 256 grams of powder cocaine, 925 grams of oxycodone, 826 grams of marijuana, 89 grams of MDMA, 45 THC cartridges and assorted gold jewelry.

At the apartment at 100 Old Village Way, detectives reported finding 67.4 pounds of marijuana, 7.4 pounds of THC wax, 78 grams of Adderall, 180 pounds of marijuana edibles (1,501 individual packages), three pounds of alprazolam (5,534 doses), 3,225 THC cartridges, $31, 639 in cash, AK47 short barrel, short barreled 12 gauge Winchester shotgun, a Taurus 9 mm and a Polymerbo 9mm handgun, a Sporter 762 rifle, an M11 9 mm handgun with a suppressor, a Taurus Public Defender 410 revolver, a Smith & Wesson .38 special, a short-barreled 12-gauge Marshwood shotgun and a DPMS AR-15.

While serving the search warrants, detectives said they discovered that Andrew Michael Smith, 24, of New Port Richey was also involved in the operation. When detectives found him, he was in possession of a pound of marijuana and $17,549 in cash. He was arrested and charged with felony possession of marijuana and felon in possession of a firearm. Bail was set at $13,000.

Nicholas Antonio Aponte was charged with armed trafficking in oxycodone, trafficking in oxycodone level III, trafficking in cocaine level II, trafficking in MDMA, possession of cannabis and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon. He is also being held without bail on probation violations for trafficking in cannabis, possession of alprazolam, possession of THC oil and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mason Thomas Aponte was charged with armed trafficking in cannabis, armed trafficking in amphetamines, possession of alprazolam and THC wax, and trafficking in cocaine, oxycodone and MDMA. He is also being held without bail on probation violations for trafficking in cannabis, carrying a concealed firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia, alprazolam and THC oil.

The probation violations stem from the Aponte brothers' arrests last year on July 14, following the search of a hotel room in Oldsmar in which 67 pounds of marijuana, nine firearms and $140,000 were recovered.

See related story: Odor Of Pot Leads To Arrest Of Brothers On Drugs, Gun Charges

Cruz-Nonthe was charged with two counts of trafficking in MDMA, sale and possession of a controlled substance, armed trafficking in oxycodone, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in cocaine and oxycodone level III, carrying a concealed firearm, two counts of sale or delivery of oxycodone and possession of oxycodone. Her bail was set at $449,000.