Collier deputies arrest man found carrying enough fentanyl to kill nearly 3,000 people

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Jeff Bastien. CREDIT: Collier County Sherriff’s Office

A convicted drug trafficker has been arrested after deputies found him carrying enough fentanyl to kill nearly 3,000 people.

Jeff Bastien, 36, is charged with fentanyl trafficking and resisting arrest.

At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies observed Bastien riding a bicycle along Georgia Avenue without any lights, a violation of Florida statute.

Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Bastien continued riding his bike, ignoring their emergency lights and orders to stop.

Deputies positioned their vehicle in front of him, but Bastien got off his bike and ran.

CCSO said he appeared to discard items from his shorts pockets as he tried to evade deputies. They caught him and took him into custody.

Bastien has felony convictions in Florida with a lengthy arrest history in Collier County, including for fentanyl trafficking in 2021, for which he served three years in prison.

“I am strongly committed to keeping fentanyl out of our community,” said Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “Thanks to alert deputies, this deadly drug was removed from our community, and this individual is behind bars where he belongs.”

During a search, deputies found 5.6 grams of fentanyl, enough to kill 2,800 people, in his jacket pocket, along with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

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