Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Cordero Latron Brister, 32, was arrested yesterday and charged with two drug felonies, two drug misdemeanors, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after a traffic stop for a window tint violation.

A Gainesville Police Department officer pulled over a car in the 1700 block of SE 15th Street at about 1:18 p.m. yesterday for a window tint violation; Brister was the front-seat passenger in the car. The officer reported smelling marijuana as he approached the car and noted that “shake” (loose marijuana) was seen on Brister’s lap.

A probable cause search of the vehicle reportedly produced a “blunt” containing marijuana on the front passenger seat, a bag with 15.2 grams of marijuana on the rear passenger-side floorboard, and a backpack containing various items belonging to Brister, including paperwork in his name. The backpack also reportedly contained a Springfield XD40 handgun with 8 rounds of ammunition that was reported stolen in Gainesville, 228.6 grams of pressed MDPV pills; separate bags containing 33.8 grams, 31.3 grams, 9.1 grams, and 4 grams of pressed pills; 14 oxycodone pills; 4 oxycodone/acetaminophen pills; and a bottle of suspected codeine cough syrup.

A search of Brister, incident to arrest, reportedly produced $690 in various denominations of cash and 3.3 grams of marijuana.

Post Miranda, the driver reportedly said the backpack belonged to Brister and that she didn’t know anything about its contents. Brister reportedly declined to answer questions.

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Brister has been charged with possession of trafficking quantities of phenethylamines, possession of an opium derivative with intent to sell, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Brister has a juvenile criminal history, six felony convictions (two violent), and four misdemeanor convictions (none violent). An arrest report from 2016 notes that Cordero is a “documented member of the Bloods Criminal Street Gang.” That 2016 arrest was similar to yesterday’s arrest, a traffic stop that reportedly produced cocaine, marijuana, MDMA, and a gun. Those charges were eventually dropped. He spent three years in state prison between 2012 and 2015 after convictions on charges of possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent and possession of cocaine. He was convicted of aggravated assault and petit theft in a 2020 case and sentenced to 16 months in state prison; he was released in May 2021.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $411,000.

A citation was issued for the window tint violation.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.