A Fort Meyers police officer arrested two young men after searching their vehicles and allegedly locating illegal drugs and firearms. One of the men faces a drug crime charge, specifically, possession of marijuana, as well as a charge related to his possessing a firearm with a felony conviction.
The same man also faces a charge of obstruction, although what he did to obstruct the work of the police was not clear.
The other young man, who apparently arrived at the scene in a separate vehicle, faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon without having the proper permit to do so.
Police say that other illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, were found in one of the vehicles. It is possible, therefore, that one or both men will be accused of additional drug crimes.
The arrests were made after an officer approached the two men, who were apparently in their separate cars and talking in a parking lot of a business during the early overnight hours. According to the police, the officer who approached the vehicles smelled marijuana and asked for the assistance of a K-9 unit.
At some point after the dog arrived on the scene, police searched at least one of the vehicles.
Both of these men are now facing serious criminal charges that could mean that they will spend months or even years in a Florida prison. Additionally, stiff fines and strict terms of probation are possible, as well as other penalties.
These men will want to consider evaluating their legal options carefully before making any agreements with the prosecutor. In particular, a skilled defense would investigate the police’s actions carefully in this case to make sure their search of the vehicle fully respected the young men’s rights.