Sarasota man arrested on drug charges following Public Works assist

A police raid at a home on Lime Avenue last week resulted in the arrest of a 46-year-old Sarasota man on a variety of drug-related felonies, police said. But only after an assist from the city’s Public Works Department.

In a news release about the 6 a.m. Dec. 4 serving of a search warrant in the 500 block of N. Lime Avenue, Sarasota police said Antrone D. Thomas was arrested on the following charges:

• Trafficking in cocaine;
• Manufacturing cocaine;
• Own/rent a structure known to traffic drugs;
• Tampering with evidence;
• Possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana.

Police reported Thomas was the only person in the 848-square foot home at the time the search warrant was served by detectives of the Strategic Intelligence Unit and SWAT. Among the items taken into evidence:

• Two bags of crack cocaine;
• One empty bag;
• Multiple pieces of crack cocaine
• Items found with white residue that tested positive for cocaine, including a scale, a pot commonly used to make crack cocaine and two razor blades;
• Police also reported finding $25,045 in cash, 79.4 grams of marijuana, 100.5 grams of rock cocaine and 775.5 grams of cocaine in liquid form.

Police said the home came to their attention following tips about narcotics sales. In arrest documents, police reported that they initially knocked on the door, identified themselves as police and “breached the front door.’’

An officer reported seeing the man identified as Thomas run for a bathroom, throw items in and flush.

City Public Works staff came to the home and cut open a sewer pipe, which was searched with a remote camera. Among the evidence taken into custody were items spotted and ultimately removed from the pipe.

Thomas was booked into Sarasota County Jail and ordered held on more than $200,000 bond. He remained jailed on Tuesday following the Dec. 4 arrest.

Police said the investigation remains open. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070.