A traffic stop in Ocala led to the arrest of a 20-year-old passenger after fentanyl and marijuana were found inside the vehicle.
On Thursday, at around 10:40 p.m., a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a silver Buick sedan with no tag lights, and a traffic stop was conducted in the 4900 block of E Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, according to the MCSO report.
The deputy made contact with the unidentified driver of the vehicle. In the report, the deputy noted there was a “strong odor of burnt marijuana” coming from the inside of the vehicle, and one of the vehicle’s two passengers – identified as Morani Davon Daron Hopkins – told the deputy that the vehicle belonged to him.
The MCSO report stated that due to the odor of marijuana, Hopkins and the other two occupants exited the vehicle, and they were detained while the interior of the vehicle was searched.
Inside the vehicle, the deputy located a black Nike waist bag behind the front passenger seat, and it contained two clear bags containing a green leafy substance and a clear bag with multi-colored pills. A black Taurus G2C firearm was also found in the glove box, according to the MCSO report.
The deputy noted in the report that the green leafy substance weighed 28 grams, and it field-tested positive for marijuana. The multi-colored pills field-tested positive for fentanyl and weighed 4 grams.
A computer search of the recovered firearm revealed that it was not stolen.
The deputy made contact with Hopkins. After being read his Miranda rights, Hopkins advised that the Nike bag, along with the marijuana inside it, belonged to him. In addition, he stated that the firearm in the vehicle was his, according to the MCSO report.
Hopkins was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $6,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for possession of fentanyl, possession of marijuana (over 20 grams), and using or displaying a weapon during the commission of a felony.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10, according to jail records.