Pubdate: Sun, 31 Dec 2000
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2000 St. Petersburg Times
Contact:  490 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Website: http://www.sptimes.com/
Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Forums/ubb/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi
Author: Jamie Malernee

BROOKSVILLE MAN CHARGED IN HUGE DRUG RING

Buried cash and drug runners posing as tourists were part of the man's
scheme to distribute hundreds of pounds of marijuana a month,
authorities say.

Maybe the most intriguing crime story of 2000 was unearthed when
federal agents found $2.5-million in cash buried in a Hernando County
man's back yard. Neighbors described Robert Boswell, 40, as friendly
and unassuming. But authorities say he was part of a large drug ring
that shipped Mexican-grown marijuana from Tucson, Ariz., to Florida.

In addition to the $2.5-million found in April at Boswell's home at
16403 Citrus Way, north of Brooksville, officials seized about
$384,000 in cash from safety deposit boxes Boswell kept in two
Bradenton banks. Federal agents say the money was profit from the
drugs being sold in the Tampa Bay area, where they went for twice
their Tucson street value. Boswell was charged with drug trafficking.
His case is pending.

Authorities estimated that Boswell had brought an average of 450
pounds of marijuana into the Brooksville area each month from 1992
until his April 11 arrest. The drugs were driven over the state line
in storage trailers pulled by cars and pickups, they said, and the
drivers posed as tourists and new residents.

The discovery of buried money, which was found 3 feet underground in
coolers and a feed barrel, brought a flurry of attention to Boswell's
rural neighborhood. Helicopters from television stations flew
overhead, and residents marveled that the father of three never acted
like a millionaire. He had a modestly nice house and several acres of
land, and he told people he had retired from selling cars and was now
a boxing trainer.

Family members said Boswell, who had no prior record, could never
have been part of such a drug outfit. They said he was great at
selling cars but never would have used his talents to peddle anything
illegal.

Boswell's wife, April, and former boss, James Sebastiano of Bradenton,
were also charged in the scheme, with officials accusing them of
knowingly using drug money to buy homes, boats and other luxury items.
According to records, Sebastiano bought a building on 300 W Jefferson
St. in Brooksville that became the Island Gym, where Boswell worked.
The gym, in which boxers trained, was closed soon after the arrests.

Officials were tipped off to Boswell when they arrested his friend,
William Scott Fusci of Tucson, after they say Fusci tried to buy 450
pounds of marijuana from an undercover agent. 
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