18-year-old arrested with over 60 grams of marijuana and an illegal firearm

Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Latrelvious Jahmar Strickland, 18, was charged with four felonies yesterday after deputies reportedly found over 60 grams of marijuana and a firearm with a missing serial number during a probable-cause search after a traffic stop.

At about 3:05 p.m. on August 27, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Strickland for failing to stop behind a stop sign or stop line at 6900 SE U.S. Hwy 301 and swinging too wide on the turn with other vehicles present on the busy highway.

Strickland reportedly told the deputy he had a learner’s permit and didn’t have it with him; since the only other occupant of the vehicle was a 16-year-old passenger, the deputy determined that he was violating his learner permit restrictions. The deputy noted that Strickland seemed extremely nervous.

The deputy reported a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from Strickland and the vehicle, and Strickland reportedly said he had smoked marijuana about an hour before driving; he reportedly said he did not have a medical marijuana card and did not have any marijuana in his possession.

The juvenile reportedly said he had not smoked any marijuana and had just been picked up from school.

Deputies conducted a probable-cause search of the vehicle, based on the smell of marijuana, and reportedly found a handgun with a missing serial number, a realistic-looking AR-15-style air rifle with no orange tip, about 3.6 grams of tobacco mixed with marijuana, a large bag of marijuana that weighed about 55.1 grams, and a digital scale.

As deputies walked the juvenile to a patrol vehicle, a bag containing about 6.1 grams of marijuana reportedly fell from his pants.

Post Miranda, the juvenile reportedly said nothing in the vehicle was his except for his backpack, which only contained school supplies. He said he believed the air rifle belonged to Strickland’s sister, the large bag of marijuana belonged to Strickland, and when they were pulled over, Strickland told him to conceal the small bag of marijuana, which had been loose in the vehicle. He said he didn’t tell deputies about the marijuana in his pants because he was scared.

The juvenile was released.

Post Miranda, Strickland reportedly admitted to driving in violation of learner permit restrictions and said he knew he would be charged with the items found in the vehicle. However, he denied knowing anything about any of those items and said they were not his, specifically including the large bag of marijuana, the scale, and the handgun. He denied selling drugs or telling the juvenile to hide the small bag of marijuana.

Strickland reportedly said that it was the first time he had driven the vehicle, which belongs to a friend’s mother, but a relative of Strickland came to the scene and reportedly said it was Strickland’s everyday vehicle. When the deputy asked Strickland about that, he reportedly said he had misunderstood the deputy’s question and meant it was the first time he had driven it that day; he acknowledged driving the vehicle regularly.

Strickland has been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a convenience store (the Chevron gas station), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, tampering with evidence, possession of an altered firearm, possession of drug equipment, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Strickland’s full criminal history is unavailable because those documents are not posted when an offense includes a juvenile, but he has no adult local criminal history. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $165,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.