Brothers arrested in St. Petersburg drug raid; then it was mom's turn

ST. PETERSBURG — The Casteel family sure does stick together. Three brothers were arrested on drug charges Thursday during a police raid on their home, which also resulted in the arrest of their mother after a street brawl.

In all, St. Petersburg police said they arrested seven people when officers armed with a search warrant swarmed into 2414 Melrose Ave. S — and four of those carted off to the Pinellas County jail had the last name Casteel.

"The Casteel brothers have a long history of arrests for drugs and violence," said St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

The raid took place about 5 p.m. Using a search warrant, officers seized about 4 ounces of marijuana, 0.7 ounces of crack cocaine, 0.14 ounces of powdered cocaine, $1,056 and two guns, police said.

Officers said they arrested Roderick L. Casteel, 31, Deuntae Casteel, 28, Jeffrey Casteel, 25, and Marquell Royal, 25.

The raid attracted a large crowd in Wildwood Heights, police said, including the brothers' 47-year-old mother, Brenda Casteel, whose address is listed as the home that was raided.

The four men were lying on the their stomachs in the front yard being handcuffed when the mother got into a fight with two other women, police said.

Those two women were Angela Davis, 37, and Devonna Washington, 22, police said. All three were arrested on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct.

Roderick and Deuntae Casteel were arrested on charges of possession of crack cocaine, felony possession of marijuana, being a felon in possession of a firearm and operating a drug house.

Jeffrey Casteel was arrested on charges of possession of crack cocaine and marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Marquell Royal was arrested on a charge of possession of cocaine.