Florida's fentanyl crisis just claimed another victim of the justice system's broken mental competency laws.
But one of Trump's top allies in the Sunshine State is taking aim at the loophole that allowed a violent drug dealer to walk free again and again.
And Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier just arrested a repeat fentanyl trafficker who escaped justice for years by claiming he was incompetent to stand trial.
Career Criminal Ramirez Bradwell Finally Runs Out of Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Cards
Ramirez Bradwell, 37, of Apopka, has been dealing drugs across Florida for years while piling up a rap sheet that reads like a crime thriller.
Armed robbery, drug trafficking, aggravated assault, burglary, illegal firearms, DUI, fleeing police — the guy's done it all.
Two prison terms should have taught him something, but here's where Florida's broken system kicks in.
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Every time prosecutors tried to put Bradwell in front of a jury after those prison stints, psychiatrists declared him mentally incompetent to proceed.
That meant charges got dropped or delayed indefinitely while he walked free.
Game the mental health system, avoid trial, get released — rinse and repeat.
Attorney General Uthmeier arrested him Friday on charges including trafficking over 28 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to traffic fentanyl.
Police say Bradwell's been moving narcotics statewide, and when he caught wind of the investigation, he threatened to kill the people working with him.
If convicted, he's looking at 80 years behind bars with a 25-year mandatory minimum on each of two trafficking counts.
This time there's no walking away.
A judge granted the state's motion to hold Bradwell without bond pending trial.
The Mental Competency Loophole That Uthmeier's Shutting Down
Uthmeier didn't hold back about what Bradwell's case represents.
"This trafficker is an example of why we are calling for reform of Florida's insanity defense and mental competency laws," Uthmeier said. "Repeat offenders who show a complete disregard for human life should not be able to escape accountability."
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The Attorney General's pushing legislation in 2026 called the Florida Insanity Defense & Mental Health Accountability Act.
The bill replaces Florida's "insanity" defense with a tighter standard that includes testing for defendants faking mental illness.
Criminals could still get mental health treatment, but they'd serve their full sentences.
Here's how the current revolving door works.
Defendant gets arrested, claims incompetency, goes to state hospital, memorizes questionnaire answers, gets declared "restored," returns to court, gets probation with no mental health plan, stops taking meds, violates probation, commits new crime.
Florida passed the Tristin Murphy Act in 2025 trying to break that cycle by requiring mental health treatment as a probation condition.
But that only helps after someone's already gamed the system once.
It doesn't stop career criminals like Bradwell from dodging trial in the first place.
Uthmeier's Fentanyl War Claims Another Dealer
Bradwell's arrest continues Uthmeier's aggressive prosecution of fentanyl traffickers since becoming Attorney General in February 2025.
At 37, Uthmeier's one of the youngest state attorneys general in the country after serving as Governor Ron DeSantis's chief of staff.
His Office of Statewide Prosecution has torn through Florida's drug trafficking networks.
Florida hit fentanyl dealers with the harshest penalties in the state after lawmakers increased mandatory minimums in October 2023.
Four grams gets you seven years mandatory.
Fourteen grams jumps to 20 years.
Over 28 grams — Bradwell's charge — means 25 years mandatory minimum with a $500,000 fine.
Uthmeier is also backing "Missy's Law" for the 2026 session, which would strip judges of discretion to grant bond to anyone convicted of dangerous crimes.
The message to fentanyl traffickers is clear: Florida won't let you hide behind mental health excuses to avoid prosecution.
Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Brian Fernandes will try the case in Florida's Second Judicial Circuit.
Bradwell sits in jail with no bond while waiting for trial.
Sources:
- Frank Kopylov, "Florida Attorney General Uthmeier announces arrest of repeat fentanyl trafficker with violent history, seeks mental competency reforms," Florida News, January 16, 2026.
- Florida Attorney General's Office, "ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES UTHMEIER ANNOUNCES ARREST OF REPEAT OFFENDER FOR TRAFFICKING FENTANYL," January 16, 2026.
- Florida Attorney General's Office, "Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier releases year-end summary on achievements, plans for 2026," December 29, 2025.
- The Floridian, "James Uthmeier Shares Public Safety Proposals for Upcoming Session," December 2025.
- WFTV Orlando, "A cycle of competency keeps defendants in a revolving-door system," October 26, 2023.
- Pensacola Lawyer, "The Tristin Murphy Act: A New Lifeline for Mentally Ill Defendants in Florida," December 3, 2025.
