Man arrested after traffic stop

A 29-year-old Hialeah, Florida man was arrested Saturday afternoon after a gun and cocaine were found following a traffic stop in Marathon.

Juan Miguel Fuentes Pimienta was charged with failure to register a vessel trailer, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine.

Deputy Amie Szymanski stopped a southbound Ford Expedition towing a boat on U.S. 1 near 11th Street Ocean at approximately 1:16 p.m. Saturday. There were three people in the sport utility vehicle and Fuentes Pimienta was identified as the driver. Deputy Christopher Aguanno arrived to assist.

Fuentes Pimienta was advised that two boat trailer tires appeared to be flat. Fuentes Pimienta stated he was unaware of that, adding that he owned the boat, but not the trailer. Fuentes Pimienta did not have registration for the trailer. The VIN sticker on the trailer had been altered and re-stamped with different characters.

Fuentes Pimienta further stated the Expedition was a rental. He added they were en route to Stock Island to go fishing.

Sgt. Joel Slough arrived to assist. Fuentes Pimienta consented to a search of the vessel. A large, homemade fuel transfer pump, a bag containing black clothes, rain jackets, new PFDs, one fishing rod with no tackle or bait, one battery jumper, one large tarp and two pairs of ski goggles were found on the vessel.

U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission arrived to assist. Fuentes Pimienta admitted there was a pistol in the SUV. A loaded Glock was found in the vehicle.

Two satellite phones and a jewelry bag containing a half a gram of cocaine were also found in the vehicle.

Fuentes Pimienta was previously convicted in 2018 of grand theft and resisting arrest without violence.

Fuentes Pimienta was taken to jail.

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