ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A suspected multi-kilogram drug trafficking group that introduced fentanyl, cocaine and meth into Northeast Florida was disrupted when the Clay County Sheriff’s Workplace Narcotics Unit received concerned.

Jason Setzer, 46, of Orange Park, and Alvin Mercado, 38, of Fleming Island, have been each arrested in connection to the suspected drug trafficking operation, or DTO.

In keeping with the arrest stories, the drug investigation started when the Sheriff’s Workplace acquired details about the DTO exploiting the U.S. Postal Service. The stories state that Setzer and Mercado have been utilizing the Postal Service to obtain kilo portions of meth, cocaine and fentanyl from California. In keeping with investigators, the majority shipments of medication have been despatched to 2 addresses in Fleming Island that belonged to Mercado, and the medicine have been then transported to Setzer’s Orange Park dwelling the place they have been ready for avenue distribution.

Setzer was charged with:

• Conspiracy to visitors greater than 2 kilos of fentanyl

• Trafficking greater than 700 grams of fentanyl

• Trafficking cocaine

• Trafficking meth

• Possession of greater than 20 grams of weed

• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Mercado was charged with:

• Conspiracy to visitors greater than 2 kilos of fentanyl

• Trafficking greater than 4 grams of fentanyl

Setzer and Mercado are each no strangers to narcotic investigators. In 2001, Setzer was sentenced to 4 years in jail after he was convicted of trafficking ecstasy and cocaine. In 1999, he was convicted of possessing greater than 20 grams of marijuana. He additionally had different earlier drug arrest prices that have been dropped.

In 2010, Mercado was convicted of possessing greater than 20 grams of marijuana. He additionally had different earlier drug arrest prices that have been dropped.

On this present drug case, Setzer stays in jail on a $17.1 million bond, whereas Mercado stays in jail on a $10 million bond.

Though the Drug Enforcement Administration was in a roundabout way concerned on this investigation, News4JAX has realized that the Jacksonville DEA workplace was contacted in regards to the variety of medicine that have been concerned on this case.

The announcement of the drug investigation into Setzer and Mercado comes simply days after Jacksonville police introduced the seizure of three kilos of fentanyl, greater than 6,000 counterfeit capsules believed to include fentanyl and a bit of greater than 1 kilo of cocaine throughout a single investigation. The announcement by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace got here on the identical day the Flagler County Sheriff’s Workplace introduced the arrest of a Georgia man who deputies stated was sleeping in a truck that contained 338 grams of fentanyl stuffed in baggage.

Lately, fentanyl has been recognized as the primary drug behind overdose deaths within the U.S.

In keeping with the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement Medical Examiners Fee, in 2019, the fentanyl loss of life toll was 3,244. A yr later, the variety of fentanyl deaths climbed to five,302. Then for the primary six months of final yr, 2,920 deaths associated to fentanyl have been reported. The 2021 report just isn’t completed but to replicate the remaining six months.

When final yr’s deadly overdose numbers involving fentanyl are damaged right down to the Jacksonville space throughout the time interval between January and June, the fee reported a complete of 312 deaths. Twenty-two concerned fentanyl by itself, and 290 concerned fentanyl mixed with different medicine.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Workplace will maintain a information convention at 1 p.m. Wednesday to debate the most recent drug seizures involving the arrest of Setzer and Mercado and what this implies for the residents of Clay County. Florida Legal professional Common Ashley Moody can also be scheduled to talk throughout that information convention.