Convicted Felon Found In Possession of Trafficking Amounts of Drugs, Firearms

November 2, 2023 – Port Charlotte, FL

A search warrant led deputies to discovering trafficking amounts of multiple substances, along with firearms, in the home of a convicted felon in Port Charlotte.

Yesterday, Charlotte County Narcotics Unit detectives, with the help of Warrants and K9 members, executed a lawful search warrant at the residence of 22111 Marshall Ave. in Port Charlotte. This warrant was granted following a four-months-long narcotics investigation of Richard N. Decker (04/29/1996). Deputies made contact with and presented the warrant to a female occupant, who advised Richard was not home. The woman exited the residence, along with her two children, and deputies began the search.

During the search of the residence, the CCSO Narcotics Unit located the following items:

• 10.26 pounds of marijuana
• 1.02 pounds of cocaine
• 8.8 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms
• 57.3 grams of THC wax
• $9,252.00 of U.S. currency
• 117.27 ounces of Promethazine/Codeine syrup
• One handgun, one rifle, numerous rounds of ammunition
• Numerous items of drug paraphernalia

“I can’t wrap my mind around why someone would choose this kind of lifestyle, especially with children in the home. This individual has a history of poor decisions, and that he clearly does not care about the example he is setting for others. So now he faces the justice system – again – and we can only hope that this time something sinks in.“

Sheriff Bill Prummell

At the conclusion of the search warrant, Richard Decker was additionally charged with:

• Trafficking in Cocaine
• Trafficking in Codeine
• Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell Within 1,000 ft of a Church (x3)
• Possession of Controlled Substance (Psilocybin mushrooms)
• Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (x2)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Child Neglect

Richard Decker was transported to the Charlotte County Jail, where he is being held on a $195,000 bond.