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Clay County Sheriff’s Office disrupts major drug trafficking operation between Florida & California

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Clay County Sheriff’s Office disrupts major drug trafficking operation between Florida & California


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:

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  • 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.

Clay County investigators shared this picture of a few of what was seized throughout the drug investigation. (Supplied by Clay County Sheriff’s Workplace)

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.

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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.

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Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.



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Florida-Tulane free livestream: How to watch Gasparilla Bowl, TV, schedule

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Florida-Tulane free livestream: How to watch Gasparilla Bowl, TV, schedule


The Florida Gators play against the Tulane Green Wave in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. The matchup will begin at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN 2. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Gators enter this matchup with a 7-5 record, and they have played well recently. The team has won three consecutive games, including two victories against ranked opponents.

In their most recent game, the Gators defeated Florida State 31-11. During the victory, Florida accrued 368 total yards. The team rushed for 235 yards and averaged more than six yards per carry.

The Florida defense also played well against Florida State, forcing five turnovers.

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The Green Wave enter this matchup with a 9-4 record, but they have lost back-to-back games. In their most recent game, the Green Wave lost 35-14 against Army.

During the loss, Tulane struggled defensively. The team allowed 335 rushing yards and conceded nearly six yards per carry.

Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.



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How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals at Florida State Seminoles

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How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals at Florida State Seminoles


LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A week removed from falling to Kentucky in the Battle of the Bluegrass, the Louisville men’s basketball program is back in action, traveling to Florida State for their first road game in ACC play.

While the Cardinals might have lost to their most hated rival in their last time out, they certainly gave the Wildcats a run for their money. Despite having only eight healthy scholarship players, Louisville kept within striking distance of Kentucky for the majority of the game before ultimately falling 93-85 in Rupp Arena.

As for the Seminoles, year 23 under head coach Leonard Hamilton is off to a solid start. While FSU is currently six games over .500 and heading into their matchup with Louisville on a two-game win streak, they’re 0-3 against teams ranked in KenPom’s top-100, including an 84-74 overtime loss at NC State.

This will be the 54th all-time meeting between Louisville and Florida State, with the Cardinals owning a 35-18 advantage. UofL won 101-92 back on Feb. 3, 2024 in the last matchup, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Seminoles.

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(Photo of Terrence Edwards Jr.: Jordan Prather – Imagn Images)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook – @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X – @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram – @louisvilleonsi

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X and @mattmcgavic.bsky.social on Bluesky





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More South Florida school zones will be getting speed cameras – how it's been going

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More South Florida school zones will be getting speed cameras – how it's been going


If you don’t look carefully, you could easily miss the cameras set up outside schools. They, however, are watching you, and if you’re going at least 10 miles over the speed limit, you will receive a $100 surprise in the mail. 

“If you don’t want to get one of those violations just stay within the speed limit, very simple,” said Village of Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen. 

Pinecrest and South Miami were the first cities in South Florida to take advantage of a new state law allowing automated cameras to catch speeders in school zones. Since their systems went online in October, they’ve sent out about 7,400 citations in South Miami and about 5,800 in Pinecrest. 

“It’s too early to say from the data on the overall impact it’s going to have around the schools, but we believe it’s going to change peoples’ driving patterns, that they’re going to be cognizant that they’re near a school and they’re going to automatically slow down, that’s the goal,” Cohen said. 

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Diane Gilmore has been a security monitor for decades at Palmetto Senior High School. She said she sees speeders fly past the school all the time as students are trying to cross the street, and she’s glad the cameras have been installed. 

“I think they did a good idea because a lot of times, they be going across the street, these cars don’t respect us at all, they come fast and I say it ain’t careful, somebody gonna end up getting killed,” Gilmore said. 

Students spilling out of school seem to appreciate the cameras. 

“I think it’s good, ‘cause it controls the drivers so the drivers don’t speed and especially in a school zone,” said Nicholas Henriquez, a senior at Palmetto who drives to school. 

Not everyone agrees. Christian Gutierrez picks up a student regularly and he’s not impressed with the cameras’ impact. 

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“Even speedbumps, I feel like, stops speeding,” Gutierrez said. “More than the cameras, yeah, for sure.”

The school zone cameras operate only on school days, starting a half hour before school starts and ending a half hour after school ends, no matter what the speed limit is during those hours. The police departments make $39 for each citation issued. 

“But I think it’s important to highlight that the funds coming in have to be used for public safety,” Chief Cohen said. “Anything that can help make our city safer, especially around the children and the schools, we looked at it as a win.”

Soon, police departments in Miami Gardens, West Miami, Davie and Plantation will be starting up their own school zone camera systems. Miami-Dade Police have also installed cameras outside eleven schools with many more to follow. Cohen predicts almost all South Florida police departments will join the trend.

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