A Leesburg man with a gun in his pocket was arrested on a marijuana charge
A Fruitland Park officer was on traffic patrol Thursday evening when he saw a Chevy Impala traveling north on U.S. Hwy. 27. As he followed the Chevy, the officer could see that the car’s tag light was not working. The officer initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 27 and Register Road.
After making contact with the female driver and her passenger, 22-year-old Charles Maurice Bevans the officer noted the smell of marijuana coming from the car. When the officer told them that he could smell marijuana in the car, Bevans gave the officer a small metal grinder which contained a small amount of a green leafy substance which appeared to be marijuana. Bevans and the driver told the officer that they did not have medical marijuana cards.
The driver got out of the car when asked to do so by the officer as did Bevans. When the officer asked Bevans to turn around, Bevans attempted to walk away. He was handcuffed with the assistance of another officer. As Bevans was being escorted to the patrol vehicle he blurted out “that I have something.” A pat down search revealed that Bevans had a .380-caliber pistol in his right front pocket. A small baggie with less than 20 grams of marijuana was also found on his person.
Bevans told the officer that the gun did not belong to him and that he found the gun in the car. He said he put it in his pocket because he did not the driver to get in trouble. Bevans did not have a concealed weapons permit.
Bevano was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and possession of marijuana. He was released after posting $3,000 bond.
