A 56-year-old Leesburg man who pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine earlier this year was arrested again on drug charges when he was stopped for driving with a suspended license.
Ronald Erwin Wilson, of 1390 W. North Blvd., was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment, and possession of marijuana. His arrest Thursday morning was similar to his arrest in February when meth was found in his vehicle when he was stopped for an expired registration.
In the latest incident, a Lake County sheriff’s deputy was patrolling the area near West Main Street and State Road 44 and saw a black Chevrolet headed west on SR 44. A random computer search of the license tag showed the owner’s license was suspended in August for failure to meet financial responsibilities, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The man driving the vehicle – later identified as Wilson – matched the description of the car owner. The officer conducted a traffic stop and informed Wilson his license was suspended, the report said.
The officer asked Wilson for permission to search the vehicle, and Wilson said yes and said there was a small amount of marijuana inside his backpack in the back seat. The officer searched the vehicle and found a zip-up case under the driver’s seat that contained a syringe filled with a clear liquid. Wilson was placed under arrest, according to the report.
The officer continued searching the vehicle and found a torch lighter – commonly used by narcotics users to liquefy illegal substances – on the floor. In the center console was a small glass jar that contained a clear liquid that looked like the substance in the syringe. Both liquids tested positive for methamphetamine, the report said.
The officer looked inside the backpack and found a small glass jar containing a green leafy substance that tested positive for marijuana, according to the report.
Wilson claimed he didn’t know about any of the substances other than the marijuana. However, when asked about his prior arrest for meth possession, he told the officer he pleaded guilty in that case, the report said.
Wilson is being held in the Lake County Jail on $4,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lake County Court on Oct. 4.
