FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three men appeared in federal court in Fort Lauderdale before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow Friday. Their cases were part of a series of cases that local and federal authorities worked on in Broward County.
Broward Sheriff's Office reported they seized 10 firearms, 45 grams of cocaine,16 grams of crack, 95 grams of Molly powder, 74 capsules of Molly and 149 grams of marijuana.
"We will never know how many crimes were prevented by taking these illegal weapons off the streets, but that's a statistic I can live without," Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer and U.S. Marshal Amos Rojas, Jr. said the operations were part of Violence Crime Reduction Partnership, a federal program established in 2011. Ferrer said it was meant "to help neighborhoods plagued with violent crime shake off the cycle of violence."
Special Agent in Charge Hugo J. Barrera said the arrests illustrate law enforcement's commitment to the "war on violent crime."
Prosecutors unsealed criminal complaints Thursday against Freddy Lee Gardner, 49, of Plantation; Kasheem Antonio Saddoo, 23, of Lauderhill; and and Antonio James, 19, of Lauderhill.
Gardner was accused of being a career criminal in possession of a firearm. Saddoo was charged with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. James was charged with possession of a short barreled rifle.
"We are going to continue this state-federal partnership and aggressively work together to reduce illegal firearms and drug trafficking," Broward State Attorney Mike Satz said.