(FORT MYERS, Fla.) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that Franklin Lara has been convicted in connection with a large Southwest Florida drug operation.
Lara was found guilty of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as trafficking the same substances. Authorities said Lara, linked to the California prison gang Sur 13, overstayed his visa and was involved in large-scale narcotics distribution.
The conviction stems from Operation 13 Tiers, which resulted in 25 arrests and over 64 felony charges. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the operation recovered 380 pounds of methamphetamine, 48 pounds of fentanyl, 45 firearms, and other drugs.
Lara faces a prison sentence ranging from 25 to 125 years. The final arrest in the operation occurred on February 7, when Efren Berumen was apprehended in Osceola County, Florida.
Attorney General Uthmeier emphasized that all defendants involved will face full prosecution. “If you’re dealing fentanyl, you’re going to go away for a while,” he said.
