Manatee County drug trafficker sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison
TAMPA, Fla. – Ryan Cotton, 37, of Manatee County, was sentenced to 13 years and four months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl. Cotton had pleaded guilty on Feb. 22, 2019.
According to court documents, over a 15-day period in late September and early October 2017, Cotton engaged in $19,000 worth of narcotics transactions with a confidential informant. As a result of those transactions, law enforcement officers secured a search warrant for two properties associated with Cotton. During the execution of the search warrants, the officers seized heroin, fentanyl, $30,000 and a firearm.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation entitled “Operation Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa District Office and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
More information about this case can be found at http://www.flmd.uscourts.gov or https://ecf.flmd.uscourts.gov.
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