‘Would-be gang member’: Brevard babysitter arrested with enough fentanyl to kill thousands

BREVARD COUNTY, Florida. – A Brevard County babysitter was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon after fentanyl was found on him, according to the sheriff’s office.

In a press release, Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced that the babysitter – Riley Thompson, 19 – was working as a babysitter at his Melbourne apartment at the time.

“This little wannabe gang member and drug dealer was actually babysitting two small children when he was arrested with enough fentanyl in his possession to kill over 126,000 people!” Ivey said.

According to Ivey, investigators went to the home to execute a search warrant and found Thompson leaving the property.

When investigators tried to arrest Thompson, he fled on foot and discarded several bags of drugs and a firearm, Ivey added.

However, he was pursued and overpowered, and officers eventually arrested him, the press release said.

“Agents were preparing to execute a search warrant on the residence when they learned that Thompson had left two young children alone inside,” the press release states. “As a result, agents quickly executed the search warrant and found not only the two young children, but also a significant amount of drugs located in close proximity to the children!”

In total, according to officials, the following items were confiscated from Thompson’s apartment:

• 253 grams of fentanyl

• 176.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine

• 100.9 grams of mushrooms suspected of containing psilocybin

• 13.3 grams of suspected cocaine

• Several boxes of THC cartridges

• 3 firearms (including a sawed-off shotgun)

• $4,030 in US currency

Thompson faces 13 charges, including drug trafficking, child neglect and resisting arrest. He is not being held on bail.

The children have since returned to their families, Ivey said, and the Ministry of Families and Children has been informed of the incident.

“Folks, this is one of those cases that you really need to watch as he moves through the criminal justice system because if he gets released on a ridiculous bail or the charges are reduced, something is wrong with our society!” Ivey explained. “You can bet I’m going to be following this because enough is enough!”

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