A Leesburg man was arrested on drug and weapon charges when his vehicle was searched after being found asleep outside a Leesburg apartment complex.
An officer responded to The Crossings apartment complex, located at 2511 Sennett Drive, to assist another officer with a suspicious vehicle he found during a secure check of the area around 2:44 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The original officer was conducting a secure check of the area when he spotted a black four-door Mercedes-Benz backed into a parking spot but running with two occupants, one of which was later identified as 21-year-old Isaiah Dionte Brumfield. One was in the driver’s seat while the other was in the front passenger seat, but both appeared to be sleeping. Also, the front driver’s door was ajar, the report said.
The officer subsequently got out of his patrol car to conduct a wellbeing check on the subjects. While approaching the vehicle, he observed a clear plastic zip-lock style bag with a large amount of green leafy substance that appeared to be marijuana on the center of the backseat. This prompted the officer to wait for backup to arrive before making contact with the occupants, the report said.
Upon arrival, an assisting officer activated his emergency lights on his patrol vehicle. The original officer then opened the driver’s door of the Mercedes, reached in and turned the vehicle off while announcing himself as a police officer. He detained the driver while another officer detained the passenger, the report said.
While detaining the driver, the officer asked if the “weed” in the backseat was the only contraband in the vehicle. The driver, Brumfield, advised there was a firearm in the vehicle as well. Another officer took custody of Brumfield, placing him and the passenger in the backseat of a patrol vehicle while the Mercedes was searched, the report said.
An FMK 9mm handgun was located under the driver’s seat, and a backpack in the backseat directly behind the driver was found to have 9mm ammunition inside. There was also a black ski mask on the front passenger side floorboard. A small black plastic bag in the center console contained a large green leafy piece of marijuana inside, the report said.
After finding these items, Brumfield was removed from the back seat of the patrol vehicle and advised of his rights. He then told officers that the marijuana in the center console and in the backseat, totaling 41.7 grams, all belonged to him and was for personal use, the report said.
Brumfield was ultimately arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and weapon (display/use/conceal firearm during felony). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $7,500 bond.
