Tavernier Man Arrested on DUI, Gun, Drug Charges After Key Largo Traffic Stop

A routine expired-tag observation on U.S. 1 escalated into a DUI and weapons arrest Monday night after Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputies pulled over Alexis Idalberto Monroy, 30, of Tavernier and found a 9mm handgun, marijuana, and a prescription painkiller inside his vehicle.

Deputies initiated the stop around 8 p.m. near Mile Marker 104 in Key Largo after observing Monroy's vehicle displaying an expired tag and drifting out of its lane. Once deputies approached the car, marijuana was in plain view, giving them probable cause to conduct a full search.

That search turned up approximately 4.28 grams of marijuana, the 9mm handgun, and a single hydrocodone tablet for which Monroy had no valid prescription. The presence of the firearm inside the vehicle added a concealed weapon charge on top of the drug counts already building against him.

Monroy was arrested on five charges: driving under the influence, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Monroe County jail following the stop; bond amount and arraignment date had not been posted as of Tuesday.

Mile Marker 104 sits in the northern end of Key Largo, roughly 20 miles from the mainland county line, and the stretch of U.S. 1 running through that area serves as the primary artery linking the Florida Keys to South Florida. Because no parallel road exists in the island chain, MCSO deputies rely heavily on vehicle stops along that corridor as a front-line tool for both highway safety enforcement and drug interdiction.

The DUI charge paired with a concealed firearm count draws particular weight in that context. An impaired driver with access to a loaded handgun presents a compounded public-safety risk, and Florida law makes carrying a concealed weapon without a license a separate felony-level exposure independent of the impairment allegation.

What began as a lane-discipline and registration issue ended with Monroy facing five counts. His case will proceed through the Monroe County criminal justice system; updated filings, bond information, and a scheduled arraignment may become available through the Monroe County Clerk of Court or MCSO jail records in the coming days.