Four Arrested in Drug Raid at Pinellas Park 'Problem Hotel' Near School

Drug Raid at Express Inn & Suites

• 🎯 Pinellas Park Police executed a raid this morning at the Express Inn & Suites, targeting a hotel room used as a drug house.
• 💡 The operation was the culmination of a several-monthlong narcotics investigation.

Drugs and Dangers Uncovered

• 💊 Investigators seized fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and spice from the hotel room.
• ⚠️ Police highlighted the danger of synthetic drugs like spice, calling it "poison" due to unknown lab-made components.
• 🚨 The hotel's proximity to a school for children with autism raised significant safety concerns for students and bus stops.

Arrests and Ongoing Investigation

• ⚖️ Four individuals were arrested: Valerie Schwab and Anthony Roberts (operating a drug house, selling near a school), Carlos Cruz (drug charges, gun possession), and Brent Ryan (drug charges, violating probation).
• 👮 SWAT team sergeant Alex Aguilar emphasized the cumbersome but necessary work involved in building cases for search warrants to ensure citizen safety.
• 🔍 Police stated they have frequently responded to this hotel in the past, though not specifically related to those arrested today, and the investigation is ongoing.