Former liquor store owner sentenced to three years in prison for cocaine trafficking

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dharmen K. Patel, 48, who owned Dee’s Liquor Store until he transferred ownership of the company to his wife following his arrest in January, has been sentenced to three years in prison for cocaine trafficking.

Patel was arrested on August 6, 2024 with 380 grams of cocaine in his vehicle and about $8,000 in cash next to the cocaine. He was initially charged with cocaine trafficking, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of trafficking drugs, cocaine possession, and money laundering. He was released after posting bail of $360,000.

He was arrested again on January 7, 2025 for a December 2024 incident at Dee’s Liquor Store (7208 W. University Avenue); the victim reportedly said he had worked “under the table” for Patel and had come to get his pay, but Patel was immediately hostile to him and cursed at him. The victim said he reminded Patel that he owed him money, and Patel became angry, aggressively approached him with a knife, and took a “fighting” pose. Patel was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and property damage under $200. Judge James Colaw granted a motion from the prosecutor to hold Patel without bail on January 14, and on January 15, ownership in Patel’s company was transferred to his wife, Heena Patel.

On March 11, Patel entered a plea of nolo contendere to cocaine trafficking; the plea agreement specified that the remaining charges in both the August 2024 and January 2025 cases would be dropped. According to the plea agreement, the maximum sentence for the cocaine trafficking charge is 30 years, but Patel was sentenced by Judge James Colaw to three years in state prison, the minimum mandatory sentence for the charge. Patel will also be required to pay a $50,000 fine.