A 25-year-old Leesburg man and a 50-year-old Mount Dora man were arrested after drugs were found in their vehicle during a traffic stop in Eustis.
Wilky Bradson Plaisival, of 8431 Arbour Lake Road in Leesburg, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (MDMA) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was pulled over shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of County Road 452 and North State Road 19 when he failed to stop behind the stop bar at the red light.
His passenger – Edrick L. Acres, of 1316 Hackett St. in Mount Dora – was charged with possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Eustis Police officer who conducted the traffic stop could smell the distinct odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle and saw an open can of Busch Light beer in the center console. A K-9 officer asked Plaisival if he had anything illegal in the vehicle and he said no. He then asked if Plaisival would consent to a search of the vehicle and he said he would not, according to the police report.
The officer deployed his K-9 partner, Mya, who gave a positive alert for drugs. During the ensuing search, the officer found a green leafy substance on the driver’s seat that appeared to be marijuana. On the passenger-side floorboard was a clear plastic bag with a white powdery residue that appeared to be cocaine. The officer asked Plaisival and Acres if either of them had a medical marijuana card and they both said they did not. Asked if they used hemp in any way, both men said they did not, the report said.
Plaisival and Acres were both arrested and placed in handcuffs. A search of Plaisival’s front-right pocket turned up a balled-up piece of brown paper towel containing a yellow rock-like substance that appeared to be “Molly,” or MDMA. An officer then noticed what appeared to be a cellophane package for a cigarillo sticking out of Acres’ shoe. The package contained what appeared to be the same white powder that was in the plastic bag, according to the report.
A further search of the vehicle yielded a small mylar pouch in the center console that contained a green leafy substance. All of the substances were tested and confirmed to be MDMA, cocaine, and marijuana. When advised of their Miranda rights, both Plaisival and Acres declined to answer any questions, the report said.
A search of Acres’ record revealed several prior arrests for possession of controlled substances and paraphernalia. Plaisival did not have any previous drug arrests, according to the report.
Both men were taken to the Lake County Jail. Acres was released later Saturday on $3,000 bond, while Plaisival was released Tuesday on $3,000 bond. Both are due to appear in Lake County Court on April 12.
