Shooting Investigation Leads to Drug Arrest

An early morning shooting Wednesday led to the arrest of three people who are facing drug and child neglect charges.

Police received a call of shots fired at Banana Bay Resort at just before 5 a.m. on February 7th. When officers arrived at the North Roosevelt Blvd. hotel, they discovered shell casings in the parking lot. The victim, 39-year old Jesus Hernandez, Jr., came out of one of the rooms. Hernandez had a gunshot wound in his right calf.
Rescue responded and transported Hernandez to Lower Keys Medical Center.

Hernandez said the driver of the Honda – a white male with long hair – followed him to the hotel, exited the vehicle, and shot him.

Upon arrival, officers discovered six .380 shell casings and a trail of blood. The blood led to one of the hotel room doors. When officers met with the occupants of the room, they saw blood inside of the room, drugs, and drug paraphernalia in plain few. The room was secured and a search warrant was obtained by detectives.

The victim of the shooting, 39-year old Jesus Hernandez, was located walking near the entrance of the hotel with an apparent gunshot wound to his right calf. Hernandez was transported to Lower Keys Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. When questioned, Hernandez gave limited accounts of what happened saying he got into an argument with a person in a dark colored sedan, possibly a Honda. Hernandez said the occupant of the vehicle was a white male who exited the vehicle and started shooting at him. Hernandez was uncooperative with law enforcement and checked himself out of the hospital against doctor’s advice.

Back at the hotel room, police found the room was occupied by three adults and four children. The adults were Ricardo Del Rio, 28, his wife Rebecca Braschos, 31, and Isabel Portal, 46.

Del Rio was detained trying to leave the scene in his red Ford F350 which had bullet holes in the right side. Del Rio gave multiple version as to what occurred.

Detectives seized 35.9 grams of marijuana, 27.3 grams of a mixture of crack and powder cocaine, 32.8 grams of MDMA, and $720 in cash. They also discovered drug paraphernalia, including pipes, over 2,000 baggies, scales, and kilo presses in the hotel room. The narcotics were packaged for street sales.

Portal’s 2015 Kia was parked at the hotel lot. The police K-9 alerted on the vehicle, and detectives discovered crack cocaine and oxycodone pills inside the vehicle. The approximate street value of the drugs seized is $8,000.

Del Rio was charged with child neglect, trafficking in MDMA, possession of cocaine with intent to sell within a 1000 feet of a place of worship, possession of oxycodone with intent to sell within a 1000 feet of worship, felony possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Braschos was charged with child neglect, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia

Portal was charged with child neglect, possession of cocaine, and possession of controlled substance without prescription, and her vehicle was seized.

The children in the room were turned over to family friends and the Department of Children and Families was notified.

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