Odor Of Pot Leads To Arrest Of Brothers On Drugs, Gun Charges

OLDSMAR, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office say twin brothers checked into an Oldsmar hotel packing a lot more than beach wear.

Patrol deputies were dispatched to the Holiday Inn Express, 3990 Tampa Road in Oldsmar, at 10:27 p.m. Monday after several guests complained of a strong odor of marijuana on their floor.

Deputies knocked on the door where the odor was coming from and met with 19-year-old brothers, Antonio and Mason Aponte of 3720 State Road 580 in Oldsmar. Mason Aponte allowed deputies to enter the room to show them he only had a small bag of marijuana in the room.

In plain view, however, deputies saw several pounds of marijuana packaged individually, more than 100 THC oil cartridges, smoking pipes, an AR-15 rifle and six handguns. One of the handguns was stolen.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for the room and discovered an AK-47-style rifle, several more pounds of marijuana and an M12 distraction device.

Also inside the room was $36,415 in packaged with rubber bands.

In all, six pistols, one AR-15, one AK-47, 67 pounds of marijuana, 82.5 doses of Alprazolam and 363 suspected THC oil cartridges were taken from the hotel room.

Following leads, detectives identified a storage unit connected to the brothers and obtained consent to search it as well. Inside they discovered an additional $103,468 cash for a total of $139,883, which was seized under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.

The brothers have been charged with armed trafficking in cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, grand theft (firearm), possession of THC oil and possession of Alprazolam.

The brothers did not provide a statement to investigators. They were taken to the Pinellas County Jail and released after posting $190,000 bail each.