Key Largo men suspected in Fort Lauderdale car theft

Two Key Largo men and a man from Lee County spent the beginning of the holidays in Monroe County jail after deputies say the former stole a car from Fort Lauderdale Saturday.

The Lee County man, Brandon Shelby, 30, remains in county jail on $10,000 bond on felony possession of cocaine. The driver, Tyler Thomas Drakas, 21, was released Sunday on an $11,500 bond. He was booked on charges of grand theft auto and driving on a suspended license.

Cory Tolli, 27, also remains in county jail on a $10,000 bond on a grand theft auto charge.

According to Deputy Ignacio Molina’s arrest report, he received a call around 8 p.m. Saturday that a stolen 2017 Hyundai Elantra with Pennsylvania tags had just crossed the county line in Key Largo. Molina stopped the car as it was driving south on U.S. 1 at mile marker 102.

Fort Lauderdale police reported the car was stolen and Drakas and Tolli were suspects in the theft.

Deputies found a small plastic baggie containing cocaine in Shelby’s pockets, according to Molina’s report. A fourth passenger was in the car, but deputies released her because they determined she was not involved in the theft of the car, Molina stated.

This story was originally published December 26, 2018 at 6:50 PM.