Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Trying To Sell Stolen Radiological Device That Could Have Made People Ill On Facebook Marketplace

A Florida man was arrested aft investigators tracked a stolen radiological instrumentality to his location utilizing a Facebook Marketplace listing, authorities said.

The suspect, 24-year-old Marco Antonio Benitez Jr., was taken into custody pursuing a multi-agency investigation into nan theft of a moisture density gauge weighted betwixt $10,000 and $20,000.

State troopers pinch nan Florida Highway Patrol recovered nan instrumentality intact from a location successful Bradenton.

The machinery contains Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope. Authorities warned that improper handling aliases harm to nan portion could origin terrible wellness complications owed to radiation exposure.

According to authorities troopers, nan investigation began May 26 erstwhile nan FHP Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence received accusation regarding a backstage waste connected societal media. Investigators traced nan online listing backmost to Benitez and arranged an undercover purchase.

When Benitez missed nan scheduled gathering time, investigators went straight to his home, according to authorities authorities. From extracurricular nan property, specialized troopers deployed radiation discovery equipment, which instantly triggered an industrial-level alert confirming nan beingness of atomic worldly inside.

Members of nan FHP Preventive Radiological Nuclear Detection portion recovered nan instrumentality hidden wrong nan house. Officials confirmed nan radioactive root was undisturbed and secured nan instrumentality arsenic evidence.

In a nationalist statement, Dave Kerner, executive head of nan Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, commended nan responding troopers for their expertise.

“The Florida Highway Patrol is location to immoderate of nan astir blase and technically knowledgeable criminal investigators,” Kerner said. “Our Radiological and Nuclear Detection State Troopers are a captious constituent to our nationalist information mission.”

Kerner credited nan collaborative effort among nan agency's specialized units pinch securing nan arrest.

“Florida is safer arsenic a result,” he said.

Under Florida law, only operators licensed done nan Department of Health are permitted to person aliases grip this type of specialized equipment, which is typically utilized successful building to analyse ungraded and asphalt composition.

Benitez has been charged pinch expansive theft and forbidden possession of a controlled radiation instrumentality without a license.