INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A suspected drug house was raided and shut down less than 800 feet from Osceola Magnet Elementary School, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday morning.
The raid occurred Friday, Sept. 16, under a search warrant on a home in the 1000 block of 18th Avenue SW, and resulted in the arrest of one man and the seizure of guns, drugs and a vehicle.
Carlos Cruz, 38, of Vero Beach was arrested and faces charges that include the sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a convenience store, trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He is currently being held at the county jail in lieu of $261,000 bail.
“Mr. Cruz was selling drugs from his home, less than 800 feet from Osceola Magnet Elementary School,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said. “Our detectives purchased cocaine from the home and witnessed drug activity occurring during school hours on numerous times during this investigation. This illegal drug operation around children is unacceptable and Mr. Cruz will be held accountable.”
Detectives seized various guns in the raid, including an AK47 rifle, a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger .357 handgun and a Glock 21 handgun. They also retrieved 50 small plastic baggies containing powder cocaine totaling 37 grams, digital scales, powder used to cut cocaine, $755 in drug money, and a 2001 GMC Denali SUV, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
