A 39-year-old Ocala woman is facing a felony charge for drug trafficking after over 30 grams of methamphetamine were located inside her vehicle during a traffic stop.
On Thursday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a Ford F-150 pickup truck that was traveling southbound on SE 70th Avenue near E Highway 40 in Silver Springs. When the vehicle approached the intersection, the deputy watched as it rolled past the stop bar without coming to a complete stop.
A traffic stop was conducted at the 16800 block of E Highway 40. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 39-year-old Crystal Lynn Mayer.
The vehicle’s sole passenger was identified as 57-year-old Robert Howard, Jr.
Once the traffic stop was completed, the deputy advised Mayer that she was free to leave. The MCSO report indicated that the deputy then asked for permission to search the vehicle, and Mayer consented to the search.
Both Mayer and Howard exited the vehicle, and the deputy conducted a search.
According to the MCSO report, the deputy located a black zippered pouch near the front middle seat. Inside the pouch, a plastic baggie was found which contained 29 grams of a white crystal-like substance that later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
The pouch contained another clear baggie that had two additional grams of a white crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. The deputy also observed a cut straw and a glass pipe inside the pouch.
In the passenger’s door, the deputy found another black zippered pouch which contained a pipe with a white residue. The residue also field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Mayer agreed to speak with the deputy. She admitted that the pouch and pipe that were found near the front middle seat belonged to her, though she denied ownership of the methamphetamine.
The MCSO report indicated that Mayer later told deputies that she transports methamphetamine for a percentage which she is then able to smoke. She claimed that Howard had picked up the methamphetamine from a nearby house.
Howard denied ownership of the glass pipe that was found in the passenger’s door, and he also denied any knowledge of the methamphetamine that had been seized from the vehicle.
Mayer was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where she is currently being held on $21,000 bond. She is facing a felony charge for methamphetamine trafficking (14 grams or over) and a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, May 24 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.
Howard was also arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $1,000 bond. He is facing a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.