Florida police arrest four in deadly drug deal, sheriff says, 'You play with fire, you're going to get burned'

Pinellas County sheriff says the victim was not 'innocent,' adding he 'doesn't have clean hands

Four Pinellas County, Florida, men have been indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection to a drug deal in April that turned fatal.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said on April 29, deputies responded to a 911 call for a man who was shot at the All-American Business Center on Ulmerton Road.

When the deputies arrived, they found 20-year-old Brent Alley laying in the parking lot and suffering from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Alley was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Left to right: Terrell Jackson, Joshua Ashley, Scott Laracuente, Tyaire Turner (Pinellas County Sheriffs Office)

Over the course of a 17-year investigation that led detectives to Los Angeles, California, Las Vegas, Nevada and northern Virginia, deputies ultimately arrested Tyaire Turner, 43, of Pinellas Park; Scott Laracuente, 32, of Largo; Terrell Jackson, 32, of Largo; and Joshua Ashley, 26, of Largo.

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A Pinellas County grand jury returned indictments for all four men, charging them with first-degree murder.

The sheriff described the investigation as "complex," saying Alley rented a Porsche in Jacksonville, Florida so he could drive to Largo to purchase $40,000 worth of marijuana from Ashley.

Alley had a drug relationship with Ashley, Gualtieri said, meaning, Ashley was allegedly Alley’s marijuana supplier.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference describing the events that led to a man's death during a drug deal, and how the suspects were found. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)

Before Alley arrived, Ashley, Jackson, Laracuente and Turner allegedly conspired to rob him of the $40,000, rather than supply him with marijuana.

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Jackson and Ashley stopped at Ashley’s house to pick up his 9mm handgun, on the way to Laracuente’s place.

Laracuente was living in one of the commercial business center units, Gualtieri said, which is where Ashley told Alley to meet.

Jackson, Ashley, Laracuente and Turner allegedly solidified their plans to rob Alley, which consisted of Turner hiding in the stairwell with a gun.

Police car with blue lights on the crime scene in traffic urban environment. (iStock)

Alley and 22-year-old Kyle Foster arrived at the unit at about 5:45 p.m., and when they went inside, Alley, who was carrying a bag with $40,0000, saw Laracuente, Ashley and Jackson.

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Alley became concerned about the circumstances and went back out to the Porsche, where he left the $40,000 before returning inside with a gun of his own.

The five men talked until about 6:30 p.m., when Jackson and Ashley left to go buy food. The two men returned at about 7:10 p.m., and according to the sheriff, Ashley handed Alley his food.

Then, Gualtieri claimed, Turner, who was wearing a mask, emerged from under the stairwell and shot alley.

The sheriff said Alley’s milk shake went all over the place, he stood up and stumbled outside to the parking lot while screaming in pain. He then laid down and died.

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"There’s video of Alley dying in the parking lot, and it’s really sad to watch a 20-year-old kid lay down and die over greed," Gualtieri said. "But, when you play with fire, you’re going to get burned, and sometimes you get killed."

Jackson, Ashley, Laracuente and Turner quickly fled the scene.

Turner was dropped off at his home in St. Pete, and Jackson and Laracuente drove to Sarasota, where they dropped of Ashley’s Dodge Challenger Hellcat in a parking lot.

Laracuente stayed in Sarasota until the next day, before boarding a bus to Las Vegas, the sheriff said.

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Jackson, Gualtieri added, took an Uber to Largo, where he met with Ashley. The two men stayed the night at Ashley’s girlfriend’s house, and the next day fled in a vehicle to Los Angeles, arriving on May 3.

The Mandalay Hotel (/ AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON)

On May 5, the sheriff said, the two men allegedly left for Las Vegas where Laracuente was. All three men were located by Pinellas County detectives, with the help of the Las Vegas police department, at Mandalay Bay Resort.

Turner fled to northern Virginia in a vehicle and was located by detectives and U.S. Marshals

"Drug dealing is not a victimless crime," Gualtieri said, describing Alley’s last few moments as taking a round and bleeding out. "He’s not an innocent victim. He doesn’t have clean hands."