Big Coppitt ex-con now faces federal gun, drug charges

The Big Coppitt Key man accused of leading police on a chase twice this month, along with a burglary spree, now faces three felony gun charges.

Adrian Diaz, 20, was arrested Jan. 15, having been wanted on a warrant accusing him of grand theft of a silver Lexus stolen from a home on Cudjoe Key, vehicle burglaries and fleeing and eluding police.

Federal prosecutors on Jan. 19 filed three gun charges: possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, which is for the 8.8 ounces of marijuana police said they found on him during the arrest.

“The scale and United States currency found on Diaz further suggest that he intended to weigh, package and sell the marijuana found in his backpack,” wrote Juan Llera, a task officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who also works for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The backpack also held $310 in cash and three handguns, including on .38-caliber reported stolen from a car on Rockland Key on Jan. 15, the agent wrote.

All three firearms were loaded, according to the complaint filed at U.S. District Court in Key West.

“The proximity of the firearms in Diaz’ backpack to the marijuana and cash found in the backpack means that Diaz would have had ready access to the weapon in order to protect himself and his stash of marijuana, as well as his drug proceeds,” Llera wrote.

Diaz served just over one year in prison between June 2016 and June 2017 for the following felony convictions, all made on May 13, 2016: Burglary, criminal mischief, having burglary tools, two counts of grand theft motor vehicle, grand theft between $300 and $5,000, fleeing law enforcement and owning and operating a chop shop.

His original sentence was one year and six months, according to state prison records.

Diaz was initially arrested for grand theft, two counts grand theft of a firearm, theft, two counts armed burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a vehicle, three counts possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, sale and possession of marijuana.

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 9:29 AM with the headline "Big Coppitt ex-con now faces federal gun, drug charges."