Man with three warrants arrested for possession of over 200 grams of marijuana

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Darinton Raheem Tawan Rim, 33, was arrested early this morning after an officer reportedly found 218.5 grams of marijuana during a traffic stop; he also had three warrants for failing to appear at hearings in previous traffic cases.

At about 12:53 a.m. on December 22, a Gainesville Police Department officer saw a vehicle that failed to dim its high beams while passing other vehicles on Newberry Road. The officer pulled in behind the vehicle but did not turn on his lights or sirens; he reported that the vehicle “abruptly” pulled into a parking lot near an elementary school on NW 55th Street. After the vehicle had pulled into the parking lot, the officer activated his lights to initiate a traffic stop.

The officer reported that Rim was the front seat passenger in the vehicle, and after Rim provided his Florida ID card, the officer learned that he had three active warrants for failing to appear in a hit and run case and two incidents in which Rim was cited for driving without a valid license; this was his fourth failure to appear in the hit and run case, and he was previously arrested and released on his own recognizance twice in that case.

The officer arrested Rim on the warrants, and Rim reportedly stated spontaneously that he had marijuana. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small amount of marijuana and cash in multiple denominations in his pocket, and his backpack reportedly contained about 218.5 grams of marijuana and a box of empty sandwich baggies. The officer concluded that based on the large amount of marijuana, the baggies, and the cash, Rim intended to sell the marijuana.

Post Miranda, Rim reportedly said the marijuana was his, but he did not intend to sell it. He said he uses the baggies at work.

Rim has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent) and is facing four misdemeanor traffic charges. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $600 on the traffic warrants and $55,000 on the new charges.

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.