Cape Coral man arrested with 81.7 grams of fentanyl after traffic stop

CAPE CORAL, Florida — A routine traffic stop led to the arrest of a Punta Gorda man after police discovered a significant amount of fentanyl in his vehicle.

On August 12, 2024, at approximately 9:40 PM, a patrol officer from the Cape Coral Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a white Audi near the 300 block of Cape Coral Parkway E due to an equipment violation. The driver was identified as 54-year-old Javario Anton Barron, of Punta Gorda, Florida.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana and observed smoke inside the car, along with a burnt blunt in the cupholder. The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle, and a subsequent search revealed a Coach belt containing $400 in $20 bills and multiple prescription pill bottles with labels not matching any of the occupants.

An unlabeled orange medication bottle found in the glove box contained approximately eighty-six white oval tablets marked 'I 10,' typically indicating ibuprofen. However, the pills had an unusual powdery composition and presumptively tested positive for fentanyl, weighing a total of 81.7 grams.

Barron was arrested and taken to Lee County Jail, facing charges of trafficking fentanyl and possession of narcotic equipment, according to the Cape Coral Police Department.