A 21-year-old Leesburg man was arrested on drug charges during a traffic stop in Eustis.
Roderick Lee Bedford Jr., of 5617 Windsong Oaks Drive, was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (Oxycodone) without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bedford was driving a silver Ford on Bay Street Tuesday night when a Eustis Police officer noticed the sticker on his license tag indicated it had expired in September 2020.
After a computer search confirmed the tag was expired, the officer initiated a traffic stop on East Barnes Street, east of Bay Street. The officer immediately noticed the odor of marijuana while approaching the vehicle and asked if Bedford had a medical marijuana card or smoked hemp. Bedford said no to both, according to the police report.
The officer determined the plain smell of marijuana was probable cause to search the car. In the center console was a brown cigar tube containing a single white pill that was later identified through a web search as Oxycodone and a small clear bag of a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana. A black backpack on the passenger seat floorboard contained a large glass jar containing more marijuana, as well as a black digital scale with green residue inside it, a small plastic bag commonly used to transport narcotics, a black grinder commonly used for marijuana, a black tray with residue inside it, and two packs of rolling papers, the report said.
Asked if he had a prescription for the Oxycodone pill, Bedford said he did not. He said he got it from his father, who does have a prescription. Bedford said he uses the medication for back pain. Asked if the backpack was his, Bedford said it was. He admitted the backpack was his. Asked if he intended to sell the marijuana, Bedford said it is only for personal use and he likes to weigh the contents before smoking it, according to the report.
Bedford was arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released early Wednesday on $5,000 bond. He will appear in Lake County Court on April 12.
