Motorcyclist without license or registration busted with meth at 7-Eleven

A Lady Lake man who was stopped without a license or registration was also charged for meth found in his backpack at 7-Eleven. 

A deputy spotted 42-year-old Leon Gasden Smith riding a blue motorcycle out of the tree line across U.S. Hwy. 27 from Commander Road around 2:50 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. He thought this was suspicious since people normally would not be driving in the area that early in the morning.

He kept an eye on the motorcycle as it turned into 7-Eleven, located at 28415 U.S. Hwy 27, Leesburg. He noticed the license plate was dirty and not properly lit, which made it hard to read. Seeing this, he stopped Smith in the parking lot, the report said. 

Smith advised that the motorcycle was his, but he could not provide his driver’s license. He instead gave his name and birth date to the deputy who ran it through law enforcement databases. The query returned with a suspended license as of Aug. 18, 2023, with another suspension on May 6, 2024. He also was convicted of driving while license suspended on Feb. 7, 2006, the report said. 

The deputy checked the motorcycle’s license plate, as well, and learned it expired on Oct. 4, 2021. It had a decal that said it was valid through 2026, although it belonged to a license plate from a pickup truck. Further inspection revealed multiple decals were attached from numerous tags not belonging to the motorcycle, the report said. 

Smith explained he was given the motorcycle as payment for a tree job he did, and he believed his wife registered it in his name. He later admitted that he knew it was his responsibility to make sure it was registered since he owned the bike, the report said. 

Additionally, he gave the deputy permission to search the backpack he wore at the time of the stop. It contained a black zip case with two small baggies of methamphetamine and a glass smoking device with burnt methamphetamine residue, the report said. 

Smith was arrested on charges of driving while license suspended (second or subsequent offense), fail to register motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $5,500 bond.