Florida men indicted on charges of conspiring to distribute fentanyl

Multiple Pasco County men have been indicted on charges of conspiring to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Edwin Tyron Hill, 47, of Holiday, and William Gaston, 31, of Port Richey, face charges of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Hill, also known as “Z,” is facing an additional charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crime.

Should he be convicted, Hill faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A third person, Nelson White, 27, of Holiday, was arrested in connection to the case and charged with conspiracy.

Gaston and White, also known as “Slug,” each face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

All three men could face up to life, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The indictment also stated the intent to forfeit more than $400,000 in cash and three guns that are allegedly proceeds of the crimes or were used in the offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. also intends to seize Hill’s Pasco County home.

Search warrants were executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration in two locations linked to Hill in September. Investigators subsequently seized “substantial” drugs, cash and firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, citing court documents.

DEA agents also stopped White, an associate of Hill’s, in a traffic stop which resulted in an “additional substantial seizure” of cash, drugs, guns and ammunition.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, total seizures in the investigation included:

• $400,000 cash.
• Eight handguns, including a Mac-11 sub-machine gun and three stolen guns.
• 1.5 kilos of cocaine/crack cocaine.
• 1.5 kilos of heroin/suspected fentanyl.

A slide show from the sheriff’s office on Operation “Now You ‘Z’ Me, Now You Don’t” indicates investigators believe Hill was the source of the supply, while Gaston and White were distributors.

At least two other men have pending state attorney’s office charges in connection with the investigation, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was investigated by the DEA and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.