A Florida youth football coach is facing serious charges after being caught with marijuana. The 33-year-old man was taken into custody on Dec. 19 and is now facing drug charges. Police in Tampa say they intercepted a package containing approximately 6 pounds of marijuana intended for the suspect, who lives in the 3000 block of 38th street in the Leigh Acres.
Detectives in the area reportedly set up in the area of the home prior to the arrest in preparation for their operation when they observed a vehicle moving in a suspicious manner. The vehicle, which police say was driven by the suspect, allegedly departed the area very quickly and went through an intersection without stopping.
After observing the actions, police officers say they performed a traffic stop and found the youth coach behind the wheel of the vehicle with a strong marijuana odor coming from inside. The driver was detained on a misdemeanor marijuana charge while a search warrant was executed on his home, and during that search detectives found marijuana that had been packaged for sale, along with cocaine, MDMA, and $25,000 in cash.
The suspect was found with $4,500 cash on his person at the time he was taken into custody. He has been charged with possession of under 20 grams of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Drug charges can carry serious penalties for the accused, including large fines, restitution, and jail time. A proper lawyer with experience in handling drug-related cases may be able to help get charges dropped or reduced in order to assure that the best possible sentence is handed down by a judge or jury.
Source: WINK, “Deputies arrest youth football coach on drug charges”, December 20, 2013