Tampa's new Homeland Security Task Force arrests 6 in fentanyl trafficking bust

TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa-based Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) arrested six people in an alleged fentanyl-trafficking scheme.

This is one of HSTF’s first major busts since it was created under a federal executive order.

Last year, the Trump Administration established Executive Order 14159, which helped create Homeland Security Task Force teams that are headquartered in major cities around the country.

The backstory:

HSTF combines the resources of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to target six different types of criminal threats.

The joint initiative targets narcotics, contraband, human trafficking, smuggling, weapons trafficking, financial crimes, transnational gangs and intelligence fusion.

Tampa is one of two HSTF headquarters in Florida, with the other located in Miami. There are other headquarters and satellite HSTF teams in cities across the country.

HIS and the FBI lead HSTF in Tampa, joining forces with agencies like the ATF, DEA, USPS, Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

What they're saying:

"Every federal law enforcement agency, virtually, has a partner law enforcement agency sitting in the embassy, side by side, in a country team," acting Special in Charge Micah McCombs said. "We've basically taken that model of a country team and an embassy and done that here in Tampa Bay."

Special agents with HSI say that prior to HSTF, they didn't have as many resources or the ability to collaborate under one roof with other agencies.

"There's just enough of those people that wake up every day to commit fraud, large-scale retail theft, elder abuse," McCombs said. "I mean, there are people that prey on people for a living. There are people that prey on children for a living."

Agents say HSTF puts a particular emphasis on crimes against children.

Dig deeper:

HSTF in Tampa recently arrested six people in one of its first major busts since it was formed. Agents say the case originated with Tampa police and the investigation grew as other agencies got involved.

Agents say the defendants are facing federal charges for an alleged fentanyl-trafficking conspiracy.

"Fentanyl right now is the leading cause of deaths in America," Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Calvo said. "Since 2021, there have been over a quarter-million fentanyl deaths in the United States."

Authorities say alarming amounts of fentanyl were being pushed through the streets in Tampa Bay.

"The worst of the worst drugs, right," McCombs said. "Fifty times more potent than heroin. It's ridiculous. And the quantities that they traffic that and cocaine."

Theophilus Williams, Maruice Copeland, Edward Verdi-Bruno, Daniel Hernandez-Hernandez, Roshard Lewis and Journey Harding were arrested in April.

"It's actually six defendants that were indicted, that are alleged to have conspired with each other to distribute fentanyl in our communities," Calvo said. "What's interesting about that investigation is that one of the defendants is actually in federal custody while this was occurring."

Agents say five of the defendants lived in the Bay Area. They say Verdi-Bruno was allegedly coordinating with the others from prison, while serving time for similar crimes.