Arcadia man sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficking

Published:
Justin O'Neil
Justin O’Neil (Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)

An Arcadia man was sentenced on Friday to prison for drug trafficking after drugs were found in his car during a traffic stop in 2020.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, Justin Michael O’Neil, 36, was found guilty in June of trafficking amphetamine of 200 grams or more, trafficking in illegal drugs of 4 grams or more, and transportation of drug paraphernalia.

In August 2020, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office saw a car going over the speed limit in a residential area of Punta Gorda around 2:30 a.m.

A Mercedes SUV pulled into a driveway and law enforcement activated their lights and siren to do a traffic stop.

The O’Neil put the car in drive and pulled forward but had nowhere to go.

Law enforcement approached the car and removed O’Neil.

O’Neil was informed that the K9 “Lady Bird” was trained to detect odors of Marijuana and controlled substances and they would be doing a free air sniff around his car.

Lady Bird alerted that the car had drugs in it.

According to CCSO, they saw a backpack on the passenger seat filled with small bags containing 363 grams of methamphetamine and 6 grams of heroin.

He was also ordered to pay 300,000 in fines.

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