It’s “rock and roll”: Gainesville musician arrested for cocaine possession with intent to sell

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Stephen Fletcher Wixted, 36, was arrested last night and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell near a park; he said he was in a band playing at FEST and cocaine is part of “rock and roll.”

At about 9:40 p.m. on October 23, a Gainesville Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a car for failing to stop at a stop sign and then accelerating “in an attempt to beat oncoming traffic” in the 300 block of North Main Street.

The officer noted that Wixted was the passenger in the car, and he smelled burnt marijuana coming from the passenger side of the car.

The officer reported that he asked if there were any drugs, narcotics, or firearms in the vehicle, and both men said no. Both men also stated that they do not have a medical marijuana card. When the driver asked when someone last smoked in the car, the driver reportedly said, “Not today.”

The officer asked the men to get out of the vehicle and searched them, based on the probable cause of the odor of marijuana. The officer reported that Wixted had a bulge in his front pocket, and he reportedly found about 18.8 grams of narcotics, a digital scale, and $634 in mixed bills in Wixted’s pockets and underwear. The officer reported that searches of the driver and the vehicle produced no contraband.

Post Miranda, Wixted reportedly said the drugs would test positive for cocaine, but he would not say whether or not he was selling it. He reportedly said he was in a band at FEST, a music festival taking place this weekend, and cocaine is part of “rock and roll.” Wixted reportedly said, “If that is illegal, then take me to jail”; he warned that if he were arrested, his friends would have to resort to fentanyl instead of being able to get cocaine from him.

The officer noted that FEST is a cashless event, so the amount of cash he had was not needed to attend the event. Wixted was stopped about 800 feet from Roper Park, and the items in his possession showed an intent to distribute cocaine.

Wixted has been charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a park and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has no criminal convictions, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $27,500 and prohibited him from possessing or consuming alcohol or illegal drugs.

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.