An Ocala woman fresh out of jail for failure to pay child support was arrested after drugs were found in her vehicle during a traffic stop.
Melissa Janelle McBride, 38, of 3333 NE 26th Court, was behind the wheel of a yellow Jeep Wrangler on Jan. 30 when a Marion County sheriff’s deputy paced it at 51 mph in a 45-mph zone on NW First Avenue. During the ensuing traffic stop, the deputy recognized McBride and her boyfriend from arresting them during a stop less than a week earlier on Jan. 24, according to the sheriff’s office report.
During the previous stop, McBride was charged with contempt of court / failure to pay child support and it was discovered she had a suspended license. She was released from Marion County Jail on Jan. 27, according to jail records.
A sheriff’s office K-9 unit arrived at the scene and conducted an open-air sniff, which detected the presence of narcotics. Deputies searched the vehicle and found numerous unused syringes and one used syringe. A clear plastic bag containing a tan powder was found in McBride’s front right jeans pocket. The powder field-tested positive for Fentanyl, according to the report.
McBride said she forgot the baggie of drugs was in her pocket. She said she bought it from a male subject the previous day and she uses the drug by snorting it, the report said.
McBride was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license. She was released the next day on $3,000 bond.