Two Fort Myers Men Indicted for Robbery of an Undercover Lee County Detective

Fort Myers, Florida — United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Eddy Luis Jose Estrella (age 25, Fort Myers) and Miguel Angel Martinez (age 27, Fort Myers) with multiple felonies relating to a robbery of an undercover Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective. Estrella is charged with distribution of oxycodone within 1000 feet of a playground, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of oxycodone, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery, robbery affecting commerce, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a robbery. If convicted on all counts, Estrella faces a mandatory minimum period of 32 years up to a maximum of Life in federal prison. Martinez is charged with conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery, robbery affecting commerce, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Martinez faces a mandatory minimum period of 7 years up to a maximum of Life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition alleged to be involved in the offenses and any property which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses or which facilitated the commission of the offenses.

According to the indictment, Estrella allegedly distributed oxycodone within 1000 feet of Schandler Hall Park in Lee County, on January 20th and 27th, 2011. Estrella and Martinez are also alleged to have attempted to rob an undercover Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective, on January 27, 2011, of oxycodone and cash that was to be used by the detective to purchase a firearm. Estrella and Martinez are alleged to have used and carried firearms during and in relation to the distribution of oxycodone (Estrella) and the robbery of the undercover detective (Estrella and Martinez). Both Estrella and Martinez are alleged to have been convicted felons at the time of the possession of the firearms on January 20th and 27th, 2011, and therefore prohibited by law from possessing firearms.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Detectives of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Jeffrey F. Michelland.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program – a nationwide, gun–violence reduction strategy led by ATF. United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, along with Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Tampa Field Division, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.