Naples doctor arrested for drug-related charges and making explosive devices

A 63-year-old Millennium Physician Group doctor has been arrested by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office on drug charges and for making home-made destructive devices.

Christy Daniel Cugini, a doctor of internal medicine, was arrested on Tuesday after a search warrant at his Saturnia Lakes home led deputies to not only numerous drugs and drug equipment but what appeared to be home-made bombs.

In a statement, Millennium Physician Group said they were shocked to hear about the allegations against Cugini.

“He has been placed on administrative leave until further notice. We would like to assure our patients we are diligently working to preserve their continuity of care,” the group said.

Cugini had admitting privileges at NCH, but the hospital system has said they have suspended them during the investigation by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

An arrest report for the drug charges shows Cugini is accused of possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana, two counts of trafficking opium, possessing marijuana with intent to sell, possession and or using narcotics equipment, possession of controlled substances.

Meanwhile, another report by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office accuses the doctor of nine counts of making or possessing a destructive device.

The devices found were described as “improvised explosive device” that were “sloppy” in their construction.

The devices were found in the master bedroom of Cugini’s home, where he lives with his 12-year-old daughter, the report states.

Deputies also found three devices that appeared to be “an improvised mine,” which would be placed on the ground with a rifle round facing up. If someone stepped on the device, the device would shoot into the person’s foot, the arrest report states.

Deputies found a tub of potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate which can be used to make home-made explosives.

Cugini was booked into Collier County jail on Tuesday after a search warrant at his home in the Saturnia Lakes community of Collier County.

Deputies found close to 600 grams of marijuana, heat seal bags, a scale, various pill bottles with other people’s names on them. The pills were identified as tramadol, oxycodone and hydrocodone. Also found in a safe were about $20,000 and high-end jewelry, according to Cugini’s arrest report.

In a post on Facebook, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation continues and more charges could be brought against Cugini.

Neighbors said they never thought something like this could happen.

“Knowing it’s drugs and possible bomb-making that’s alarming,” said Gine McCabe, a neighbor. “We as neighbors would like to know if our safety or children’s safety is in jeopardy or had been so we can have some sort of peace of mind.”

WINK News Safety and Security Specialist Rich Kolko spoke with a former FBI bomb technician who said bomb-making is surprisingly common.

All of the information to make an IED is on the internet. People build explosives in their homes for a variety of reasons, including to protect their drug stash or if they are anti-government or anti-law enforcement.

In 2019, the last year of stats, the U.S. Bomb Data Center reported more than 7,200 bomb recoveries.

Detectives will try to speak with Cugini to see if he used the explosives and they’ll try to determine if he’s been using them in a remote location.

“These next steps will be a full workup of what those energetic materials, what it was, they’ll send it to either the state or a federal lab,” said Don Hamaty, a retired FBI Special Agent bomb technician. “For the chemical analysis in a lab type setting, it will be determined by an explosive device examiner and exactly how this would function for prosecutorial purposes later.”

Additional information could lead to more charges.

Cugini has since been released from the Collier County jail on $122,000 bond. His next court appearance is on April 26.