A 35-year-old Ocala man with a medical marijuana card was arrested on multiple drug trafficking charges after cocaine and a variety of pills were found in his Cadillac during a traffic stop.
At around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 17, an Ocala Police officer saw a black Cadillac fail to come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign while traveling eastbound on NW 22nd Street approaching North Pine Avenue. The officer initiated a traffic stop at NW 7th Avenue and NW 28th Street, according to the OPD report.
The officer approached the vehicle and the driver, Courtney Cunningham, handed over a Florida driver’s license and his Medical Marijuana Use Registry ID card. Cunningham then opened a small plastic bag with green leafy substances and a small burnt cigarette, both later identified as marijuana. Cunningham told the officer, “I was smoking weed. I got weed on me. I got a card. I’m sorry,” the report said.
Cunningham was removed from the vehicle and police conducted a search. When they pulled away the carpet lining on the driver’s side floorboard, they found a white, plastic tied bag with what was later identified as cocaine and a silver/black weighing scale. Also found were multiple, small, zip-lock bags and multiple pill tablets. Some of the zip-lock bags contained multiple pill tablets identified as morphine, clonazepam, alprazolam and lorazepam, according to the report.
Officers found more cocaine on the passenger’s side and a $3,049 of cash in various denominations in the center console. The total weight of all the cocaine found was 28 grams, the report said.
Cunningham was charged with trafficking cocaine, ownership of a conveyance for trafficking in cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of morphine tablets with intent to sell, possession of Clonazepam tablets with intent to sell, possession of Alprazolam tablets with intent to sell, possession of Lorazepam tablets with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended license. He’s being held without bond in the Marion County Jail and is scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on Jan. 21.