A charter boat captain in the Florida Keys is accused of selling cocaine that was reportedly found at sea, authorities said.
According to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Bradford Todd Picariello, 65, of Marathon, was arrested Jan. 19. He was charged with one count each of trafficking cocaine, selling cocaine and possessing cocaine.
Picariello was taken into custody after an investigation led by the sheriff’s office. Deputies were assisted by the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol.
Picariello allegedly sold a kilogram of cocaine for $10,000 to an undercover federal agent, the sheriff’s office said.
After Picariello’s arrest, authorities seized approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine, $8,000 in cash and Picariello’s 38-foot boat, sheriff’s office spokesperson Adam Linhardt told the Miami Herald.
The drug deal happened around 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 19 at the marina where Picariello runs his business, Outlaw Fishing Charters of Marathon, according to a sheriff’s office arrest report.
The Herald reported that Picariello told the agent over the phone to bring a cooler to his boat to make it look like he was picking up fish. He also allegedly told the agent that he had another 100 pounds of cocaine if he wanted to buy more of the drug, according to an arrest report.
Agents then came and arrested Picariello. It was unclear how Picariello “found” the cocaine at sea.
He told police that the rest of his drug stash was at a storage unit in Marathon. According to the arrest report, Picariello gave police permission to search the unit, and police discovered wrapped kilograms of cocaine marked with a “332″ stamp, the Herald reported.
“I want to thank all the Sheriff’s Office members and our law enforcement partners who investigated this case and continue to work to keep dangerous drugs out of our community,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement.
Picariello was being held without bond, online booking records show. He is expected to appear in court for an arraignment on Feb. 4.
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