A 37-year-old Ocala man was arrested on several drug-related charges, including trafficking in fentanyl, after he was found asleep inside an SUV that was parked on the side of the road.
On Tuesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal and deputy responded to the 15600 block of SE 93rd Avenue Road in reference to a suspicious vehicle that was parked in front of a residence. The homeowner advised that a man had been sitting in the driver’s seat for an “extended amount of time,” according to the arrest report.
Upon arrival, the corporal observed a white Chevrolet Trailblazer parked along the roadway, facing south on the northbound side of the road. A search of the vehicle’s tag revealed that it was not currently registered.
A corporal noted that a man, later identified as Shawn Gregory Sellers, was sleeping in the driver’s seat. When he woke up, he advised that the SUV had broken down, and he was “waiting for a ride.” He claimed that he had purchased the vehicle a few days ago.
Sellers further claimed that a man named “Mike” was driving the vehicle when it broke down, and Sellers “came to assist.” According to a statement from Sellers, “Mike” walked away to get gas, though the report stated that an empty gas container was observed in the back of the vehicle.
A search of Sellers’ driver’s license revealed an active warrant for his arrest out of Indiana, and he was detained in handcuffs. During a pat-down search, a zippered pouch was found in one of his pockets, according to the report.
The pouch was searched, and the corporal noted that the following items were found inside: several plastic bags containing a blue powdery substance, several bags containing a crystal-like substance, bags containing a white powdery substance, several pieces of foil wrapping around a blue powdery substance, and a large quantity of small Ziploc bags that were empty.
The blue powder weighed 12 grams and field-tested positive for fentanyl. The white powder, which weighed around 1 gram, field-tested positive for cocaine. The crystal-like substance had a packaged weight of approximately 2 grams, and it field-tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the report.
During a search of the SUV, the report stated that a Taurus Millennium G2 9mm handgun was found inside a cooler on the front passenger seat. In addition, the cooler contained two portable electronic scales with a white powdery residue on them, an envelope addressed to Sellers, and a tax form in his name. A glass pipe was also located next to the center console, and it had burnt residue that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
A search of the handgun’s serial number revealed that it was listed as “lost” under a Marion County case.
During a post-Miranda interview, Sellers told investigators that the drugs found in the zippered pouch belonged to him. He claimed that the handgun was not his, and he further stated that “someone else must have put his (tax) form inside of the bag with the firearm.”
A criminal history search of Sellers revealed that he has prior felony convictions in Marion County for dealing in stolen property and possession of cocaine, as well as a third felony conviction in Columbia County for grand theft.
Sellers was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with trafficking in fentanyl (4 grams or more), possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.