Florida man sold cocaine at his jewelry store, deputies say

SPRING HILL, Fla. - A jewelry store owner is facing charges after a months-long investigation found that he trafficked and sold cocaine at his business, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said.

According to HCSO, Pedro Martinez, 54, owns Three J Jewelers off Deltona Boulevard in Spring Hill. He's accused of using the storefront to sell the drugs. 

"It's hard to judge how many people are coming in here legitimately to sell things like their gold jewelry and how many of them are doing it for the drugs and associated with criminal activity," said Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis.

Investigators said Martinez was pitching at least some of his customers at Three J Jewelers on cocaine, to the point where a tip came in to the sheriff's office. Deputies then ran their own stings, with undercover agents buying drugs there at least four times. 

The sheriff said the drug trafficking, alongside all these other honest businesses, is over. Detectives executed a search warrant at the jewelry store last Friday and found cocaine, leading to the arrest of Martinez, deputies said.

"You have to feel 100% comfortable," said Christine Munser, who works at "Kim's Trims Salon," several doors down. "This is a walk in a very big walk in business, and you don't know what's going to walk in the door. So, you certainly don't want that next door. Especially what they got going on."

The sheriff is alarmed at the sudden presence of cocaine, especially as the county remains in the fight against fentanyl and other addictive opioids.

"Cocaine kind of waned off a little bit during the pill mill crisis and stuff," said Nienhuis. "And now, we may be seeing a resurgence, but we're going to try to stay on top of it and prevent that."

The store appeared to be operating again on Tuesday, though the sheriff said without Martinez, who is being held on a $275,000 bond.

"When you're dealing in a cash business like this, and you're breaking the law, it really kind of puts a sign up to, 'hey, come rob me, because I'm not going to call the cops,'" said Nienhuis.

Martinez faces the following charges:

• Trafficking in cocaine
• Sale of cocaine
• Possession of a structure with the intent to sell a controlled substance
• Possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell
• Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

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