A Florida charter boat captain finds himself in deep trouble after allegedly attempting to sell drugs he claimed to have discovered at sea to undercover officers, as reported by authorities.
Bradford Todd Picariello, age 65, was taken into custody on Monday, facing charges that include cocaine trafficking, sale, and possession in the Florida Keys. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office released this information through a social media statement.
According to reports obtained by the Miami Herald, officials accuse Picariello of setting up a drug transaction with undercover officers at his own business, Outlaw Fishing Charters, located in Marathon, at approximately 3 p.m. on Monday.
Prior to the arranged meeting, Picariello allegedly conversed with the undercover officer by phone, instructing him to bring a cooler to the marina to maintain the appearance of collecting fish.
Picariello, 65, was arrested on January 19, 2026, in Marathon, Florida, on charges related to cocaine trafficking, selling, and possession, according to a statement from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office shared on social media.
The captain purportedly informed the undercover agent that he had an additional 100 pounds of cocaine available should there be interest in purchasing more of the illicit substance, as reported by the outlet.
When the agent arrived at Picariello’s boat, he allegedly handed the kilo of cocaine over to the “buyer” for him to place in his cooler, authorities reportedly said.
As Picariello waited to be handed $10,000 in cash to complete the illegal transaction, authorities reportedly swarmed his boat and placed him under arrest.
Authorities say they seized approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine, a .40-caliber handgun, roughly $8,000 in cash and a 38-foot vessel from Bradford Todd Picariello’s possession in Marathon, Fla., Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office)
Police said the captain revealed the remainder of his illegal stash was hidden inside a storage unit and allowed them to conduct a search, the outlet reported.
Authorities subsequently discovered nearly two dozen kilos of cocaine covered in plastic wrap and marked with a “332” stamp, according to the news release.
As Picariello was being taken into custody, officials also seized approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine, a .40-caliber handgun, roughly $8,000 in cash and a 38-foot vessel from the premises, authorities said.
Bradford Todd Picariello reportedly ran a self-owned business called Outlaw Fishing Charters in Marathon, Fla. (iStock)
“I want to thank all the Sheriff’s Office members and our law enforcement partners who investigated this case and continue to work to keep dangerous drugs out of our community,” Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement.
Picariello was transported to the local jail, and the case is expected to be prosecuted federally.
The investigation was conducted with the assistance of Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Operations detectives, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area investigators, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Drug and Enforcement Administration and CBP Air and Marine Operations.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
