Lehigh Acres man sentenced to 18 years for firearm, drug offenses

A 53-year-old Lehigh Acres man will spend 18 years in federal prison for firearm and drug offenses.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Louis Michael Pasquazzi will serve time for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and for possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute it.

The court also ordered Pasquazzi to forfeit the firearms and ammunition he illegally possessed. Pasquazzi had previously pleaded guilty on April 26, according to a press release.

The press release states that on July 12, 2022, Lee County Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives were surveilling a Lehigh Acres residence when they observed Pasquazzi enter the driver’s seat of a black Cadillac Escalade that was backed into the driveway.

Detectives stopped Pasquazzi after he failed to stop at a traffic sign and could smell marijuana inside the vehicle.

Detectives found a black SCCY 9mm firearm under the driver’s seat and a Ruger .40 caliber S&W firearm in the glovebox. Detectives also found a bulky plastic bag containing 62.01 grams of cocaine on Pasquazzi’s person, the press release states.

At the home Pasquazzi was leaving, they found a Marlin Arms .22 rifle, a Masterpiece Arms 9mm sub-machine gun, a Taurus G3 9mm firearm, a Ruger AR-556 rifle, and more than 500 rounds of assorted ammunition. The safe in Pasquazzi’s bedroom closet was also accessed and searched by detectives. Inside of the safe, detectives located approximately 353 grams of cocaine.

Also, inside Pasquazzi’s bedroom, detectives found articles of drug paraphernalia used to distribute and manufacture controlled substances, including measuring cups, packaging material and cutting agents.