Tattoo Parlor Owner Accused of Running Drug & Gun Ring

Authorities say they seized 12 guns during a raid at Legacy Tattoo. The business' owner, Gyasi Heard, 32, is being held in the Pinellas County Jail accused of running a drug and gun ring.

A Palm Harbor business owner is behind bars in the Pinellas County Jail, arrested during an undercover drug and weapons investigation involving multiple police agencies.

Undercover detectives claim that Gyasi Heard, 32, who owns, was the leader in a cocaine and gun trafficking ring. A Pasco County Sheriff's Office Swat Team arrested Heard at a home in Tarpon Springs earlier this month. Investigators say they also found five guns at the home, along with a trace amount of cocaine. A separate search warrant was executed at Legacy Tattoo, where authorities seized 12 weapons.

Detectives say that Heard worked with an alleged distributer, Christopher Vasquez, 32. They claim the men sold them more than 617 grams of crack and powder cocaine and one 380-caliber handgun during the undercover investigation. The investigation spanned two counties and resulted in the arrests of four people and the confiscation of cocaine and 50 guns. 

"Any of these weapons could have been used to kill a cop, they could have been used to kill a citizen," Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said during a news conference where the guns were displayed for the media. "These are weapons to kill people, to keep their operations going."

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the D.E.A., Tarpon Springs Police and the New Port Richey Police Department worked together in the investigation.

Here is a tally of the arrests and items confiscated when search warrants were executed at four locations Feb. 10, including Legacy Tattoo:

Legacy Tattoo located at 36243 U.S. Hwy 19, Palm Harbor: No arrests, no one at business. The following firearms were seized from the scene-

  1. Beretta 9mm
  2. Beretta 9mm
  3. FN 5.7 pistol
  4. Colt Python .357
  5. HNR .22 revolver
  6. Ruger .22
  7. Jiminex .22
  8. FN AR 7.62 X 51
  9. KelTec 5.56
  10. KelTec 5.56
  11. Colt 5.62
  12. Mossburg 500 12-gauge

Residence at 1544 Starlight Cove, Tarpon Springs:

Gyasi Heard: arrested for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.

Jessica Colon: arrested for possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

A trace amount of cocaine and the following firearms were seized from the scene-

  1. Sig Sauer .380
  2. Ruger LCP .380
  3. Sig Sauer .40
  4. Walther P22 .22 cal
  5. FNH 5.7 X 28

Residence at 7347 Robellini Way, Trinity: No arrests (no one at residence)


  1. FN Herstal 7.62
  2. Thompson .45 carbine
  3. HNR revolver
  4. Dessert Eagle .380
  5. Cobray Mac 11 9mm
  6. Cobray Mac 11 .380
  7. Cobray Mac 11 9mm
  8. Smith and Wesson P22
  9. Kimber semi-auto .45
  10. Smith and Wesson walther .22
  11. Colt Ranger  .45
  12. JAXD .40
  13. Kimber semi-auto .45
  14. Kimber semi-auto .45
  15. Pachmayer lightning .22
  16. Taurus .38 special
  17. Ruger SR9C
  18. Ruger .22 handgun
  19. Smith and Wesson .22
  20. ME Ranger 9mm
  21. Bushmaster .223
  22. Ruger .223
  23. Ruger mini-30
  24. Mossburg 12 gauge
  25. Colt AR15 .223
  26. Saiga 7.62 X 39
  27. Wasr - 10  7.62 X 39
  28. SKS AK -47 7.62 X 39
  29. Plainfield Machine .30 cal

Residence at 6028 Nebraska Avenue, New Port Richey:

Christopher Vasquez: arrested for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine

Crystal Vasquez: arrested for armed trafficking cocaine

Seven ounces of crack cocaine, 33 grams of marijuana, $900, and the following firearms were seized:

  1. Raven .25-caliber
  2. Skyy 9mm
  3. Ruger 9mm

Heard remains in the Pinellas County Jail where he is being held for the U.S. Marshalls Service.

Heard talked about recent rennovations at the tattoo parlor, "We wanted to bring a different feel to the shop because people tend to have a negative stereotype of tattoo parlors," he said.

Heard used to play in the NBA and was a star player on the Penn State Men's Basketball Team


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