Gainesville man arrested on drug and firearm charges

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Derek Rashad Slater, 20, was arrested early this morning and charged with drug and firearm possession charges after a deputy reportedly found marijuana and a stolen pistol in his vehicle.

At about 1:42 a.m. on December 30, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Slater because the registration was expired and the tint was suspected to be illegal; the tint later measured at 8%, below the legal limit of 28%.

When the deputy asked Slater whether there were any narcotics or firearms in the vehicle, Slater reportedly said there was a small baggie of marijuana in the driver’s side door. The deputy reported that he could smell unburnt marijuana and could see a baggie of marijuana in the center console. Slater reportedly said he did not have a medical marijuana card and admitted that the substance was marijuana.

A search of the vehicle reportedly produced a handgun under the driver’s seat and the baggie of marijuana in the center console.

Before Slater was searched, he reportedly said there was another bag of marijuana in his underwear and gave it to the deputy. The deputy reported that the total amount of marijuana in the two baggies was about 50.87 grams.

The handgun was reported stolen in Alachua County in November 2023.

Slater has been charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He has a juvenile conviction from 2022 but no adult criminal history. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $100,000.

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.