U.S. DRUG STING OPERATION LEADS TO ARREST OF 6 SUSPECTS

TAMPA A federal sting led to the arrest Thursday of six men who
specialized in robbing cocaine traffickers and the seizure of their
arsenal, authorities said.

Their plan to rob a "stash house" was foiled by two group members who were
undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

One of the agents met John Holzer and Jerry Lummus on Jan. 24 when they
wanted to buy guns, an arrest affidavit said.

A few days later, a second undercover agent was introduced to the group.
The sting had begun. The lawmen told Holzer and Lummus of a stash house
that had 18 to 24 kilograms of cocaine ripe for the taking. The targeted
men said their crew specialized in such robberies and made plans to hit the
fictitious house Thursday.

They were going to burst in posing as law enforcement officers, wearing
police jackets and bulletproof vests. They carried plastic flex handcuffs.
But Thursday morning, three were arrested at a Carrollwood storage
facility. The others were arrested later at Derby Lane dog track in St.
Petersburg.

Charged were Holzer, 19, 11318 Church Hill Trail, Seminole; Anthony Scott
Williams, 32, 13669 S. Belcher Road, Lot 291, Largo; Joshua Keith Boyer,
24, 8071 Landmark Circle, Tampa; Ronnie Mota, 28, 4113 W. Sitka St., Tampa;
Lummus, 28, High Springs; and Robert Howe, 28, Davie.

Each was charged with federal conspiracy to distribute cocaine and using a
firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Agents raided the Budget Self Storage, 5628 Gunn Highway, about 7 a.m.
Thursday. Several firearms, including assault rifles, a sawed-off shotgun,
a sawed-off rifle and handguns were seized.