On December 4, two men from Fort Pierce were sentenced to prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham after being convicted on charges related to drugs and firearms.
Joseph Acevedo, aged 40, received a sentence of 101 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Stanley Rumowski, aged 49, was sentenced to 96 months in prison with an additional three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of approximately $20,000.
The convictions came after a jury trial on July 18 in Fort Pierce. Both men were found guilty of cocaine trafficking, and Rumowski was also convicted for possessing a firearm during the drug trafficking offense. Evidence presented at the trial revealed that Acevedo and Rumowski were partners in a failing marijuana cultivation business. They were stopped by Martin County Sheriff's Deputies while driving back to Fort Pierce from Miami. A search of their vehicle uncovered a loaded firearm and about half a kilogram of cocaine. Text messages between the two men were used as evidence to demonstrate their knowledge and intent regarding the possession and distribution of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida announced the sentencing along with Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, and Sheriff William D. Snyder of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Fort Pierce with significant support from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Breezye Telfair prosecuted the case.
Further details can be accessed through court documents available on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida or via PACER under case number 24-cr-14010.