HOLLY HILL, Florida — Law enforcement agents arrested a pair of brothers on Friday accused of selling drugs and dealing in stolen property out of a thrift store in Holly Hill. The business, Cheap O Depo located at 947 Center Avenue, was raided Friday by agents armed with a search warrant as they seized property believed to be stolen. Friday’s arrests capped a six-month investigation that was jointly conducted by the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Arrested on Friday were the business’ owner, 49-year-old Joseph Pavano, and his brother, 47-year-old Robert Pavano, who also works at the store. Thus far, Robert Pavano is facing the most charges. He was arrested on warrants charging him with six counts of sale of a schedule II substance and two counts of dealing in stolen property. Investigators said the brothers’ drug of choice was Oxydodone. In fact, Robert Pavano was additionally charged with possession of a schedule II narcotic when he was found to have 29 Oxycodone pills on him on Friday. His bond has been set at $185,000. Joseph Pavano was arrested on warrants charging him with dealing in stolen property and three counts of sale of a schedule II substance. Robert Pavano’s bond has been set at $90,000 bond. Both will be transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.
The investigation was launched in January after investigators with the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force received information that drugs were being distributed from the business. Through undercover officers and confidential sources, agents learned that the brothers were both selling drugs out of the store and exchanging drugs for stolen property that they then would put out for sale.
The investigation by both FDLE and the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force is ongoing and additional charges are possible. The East Volusia Narcotics Task Force is a multi-agency force of narcotics agents from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach police departments that shares resources and crosses jurisdictional boundaries to combat street-level drug and vice crimes.