A North Port woman received a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking meth and fentanyl.
According to the State Attorney's Office, on Aug. 26, 2021, a Lee County Sheriff's Office deputy saw a driver merge onto I-75 in their Jeep while repeatedly braking and veering into the outside lane.
A deputy pulled the Jeep over as it exited toward Daniels Parkway. As the deputy approached the vehicle, it was visibly cluttered inside and the smell of marijuana was distinct.
The driver, identified as Alexa Demariano, 50, admitted to marijuana being in the vehicle and was asked to step out. An LCSO K-9 was alerted to the scent of illegal narcotics.
Deputies searched a bag in the back of the Jeep, discovering syringes and a large amount of drugs, including clear baggies of crystalized methamphetamine and fentanyl.
A scale and mirror with white powder residue were also located in the vehicle.
Demariano told deputies she was delivering illegal narcotics from Fort Lauderdale to North Port. She said some of the cash in her purse was a payment from drug sales. She also admitted the two phones in the Jeep belonged to her, one of them being used to communicate with drug dealers and customers.
In June, Demariano was convicted of trafficking in fentanyl 14 grams or more and trafficking in methamphetamine 200 grams or more. Her prison sentence will be followed by five years of probation.