Tag: raid

Readers reported a SWAT raid on a “drug house” in the West Sandalfoot trailers (Watergate Estates) on Friday night, with approximately ten PBSO cars and two armored SWAT trucks involved. Reviewing the PBSO blotter we see three arrests that fit with this incident.
Hassan Jones (left, 42) and Terry Utter (center, 59) were booked shortly after midnight, each with the same reported address on Atlantic Circle, which is near the west end of Sandalfoot Blvd where it meets Tradewind.
Jones faces two drug charges, including felony drug possession with intent to sell. Utter is charged with two felony drug possession counts (cocaine and another drug without a prescription) and one misdemeanor count for possession of drug equipment.
Antonio Francula (right, 25) was arrested within minutes of the other two, also on drug charges as well as resisting an officer without violence. Francula’s reported address is in East Boca, in the city, but the arresting agency is PBSO which does not operate in the city. Considering that and the timing, there’s a substantial chance he was part of this incident. But we can’t be sure at this point.
As far as criminal history goes, this appears to be Jones’ sixth felony arrest. He’s had four other cases in this county dating back to 1998, and traffic felony in Broward from 2012 (along with five prior minor criminal charges there). The 1998 case was a grand theft and he got probation. In 2003 he got 30 days in jail on felony drug charges. In 2011 he did a short county jail stint on a misdemeanor drug charge. In 2012 he got four months for two grand theft felonies.
Utter had a felony drug arrest in 2012 that was dropped by prosecutors. She then had a felony cocaine arrest in 2013 and was sentenced to a day in jail that she had already served.
County records show Francula had a 2008 robbery felony and he completed his probation for that in 2012. Then in 2013 he was arrested for a misdemeanor retail theft and paid a fine (no jail sentence). A few months later he had another misdemeanor theft charge and got 4 days jail time. This one’s a doozy – he was supposed to get 30 days but it was mitigated to 4 days because he showed up on time for his last court date without being arrested. Earlier this month he was arrested for burglarizing a car and that case is still pending.
Jones and Utter were released Saturday evening. Francula remains in custody at this writing.