A Port Charlotte man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of drug trafficking on Friday in Charlotte County.
Court documents state Erasmo Herrera, 37, was sentenced as a habitual offender. Additionally, Herrera was also sentenced to five years of probation following his release from prison with a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
Herrera must pay a $50,000 fine and will be subject to random search an seizure by law enforcement, according to a release from the State Attorney's Office.
On Aug. 1, 2023, Punta Gorda police responded to a dispute in the back alley of a pizza shop on Tamiami Trail.
Herrera was in the alley with a woman when officers arrived. Police said when they spoke to the woman, Herrera walked to the passenger side of the patrol car and crouched down before tossing a cigarette pack into the grass.
Officers retrieved the cigarette pack, where they said they found a clear plastic bag containing "crystal like rocks" that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Herrera was arrested and searched. During the search, officers said they found another plastic bag in his pocket with methamphetamine and a pipe with narcotics residue inside.
The overall weight of the drugs was 16.19 grams, which is a trafficking amount.
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