A pair of Leesburg men was arrested on drug and weapon charges after the execution of a search warrant.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Bureau executed a narcotics search warrant on Thursday at 1645 Veech Rd., Leesburg, commonly known as “The Carwash.” This location has been identified as a fake business and a known spot where multiple individuals will hang out and distribute narcotics. Furthermore, back in Dec. 2021, the Criminal Investigations Bureau conducted a homicide investigation at this location that led to an arrest and conviction for murder.
At around 1 p.m., the Lake County SWAT Team secured the scene. Narcotics detectives proceeded to search the property. They found a large amount of cocaine; crack cocaine; methamphetamine; fentanyl; cannabis; multicolored pressed pills that appeared to be ecstasy but tested positive for methamphetamine; drug paraphernalia; and two firearms, one of which was stolen out of Leesburg in Oct. 2025.
The total combined weight of the narcotics was approximately 2 oz of cocaine, 1.5 oz of crack cocaine, 14 grams of methamphetamine, 4 grams of fentanyl, 30 suspected MDMA/ecstasy pills and 1 lb of cannabis. Detectives with the Clermont, Eustis, Groveland and Leesburg Police Departments assisted during this investigation. As a result, two individuals were arrested and charged.
Dara Gerard Ostane, 44, was charged with armed trafficking in cocaine, possession of cannabis over 20 grams with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. It should be noted that he was recently released from prison after spending over 22 years incarcerated for a homicide that occurred in 1999 in Lake County. Given the significant amount of narcotics in connection with the firearm and his history, he was not given a bond.
Steve Lashae Roberts, 56, was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of fentanyl with intent to sell, possession of cannabis with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was not given a bond, either.
Additionally, Ostane has prior arrests for attacking his pregnant girlfriend in March 2024 and stealing a woman’s phone at an arcade in Sept. 2021.