Man arrested on gun and drug charges argued that he thought he didn’t need a medical marijuana card because it’s a college town

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Deven Jarod Suttle, 31, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a concealed firearm without a permit, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; he was also charged with tampering with evidence, but the judge found no probable cause for that charge.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy made contact with Suttle at about 2:41 a.m. yesterday morning in response to a report of a suspicious vehicle at 4100 NE Waldo Road. The deputy reportedly found Suttle asleep behind the wheel of a parked car and saw a marijuana joint in plain view; marijuana “shake” was also observed on Suttle, and deputies could smell burnt marijuana coming from inside the car.

When deputies removed Suttle from the car, they reported that he seemed to be trying to conceal something under the driver’s seat. He reportedly picked up a napkin and plastic baggie before getting out of the car, and the baggie reportedly contained marijuana; a deputy reported that he dropped them on the ground when he was being detained.

Suttle reportedly said he did not have a medical marijuana card because he thought he didn’t need one in a college town.

A search of the car reportedly produced 0.7 grams of marijuana, a loaded handgun, a grinder, rolling papers, a digital scale, and a black ski mask.

Post Miranda, Suttle reportedly did not admit to ownership of the gun, the drugs, or the paraphernalia found in the car. He said he had previously been approached by officers for sleeping on the side of the road and that it had not been an issue; he said his actions “were the product of the lifestyle in Gainesville.”

Suttle has a juvenile criminal history but no adult convictions. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail of $8,000 on four of the charges but found no probable cause for the charge of tampering with evidence.

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.