In the St. Lucie County Jail, two Okeechobee men have been arrested and held on bail following arrests in Fort Pierce for felony drug charges. On August 12th, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chase Weeks, 19, and Jerome Johnson, 19. Police arrested Johnson for carrying a concealed weapon, and they arrested Weeks for over 20 grams possession of marijuana.

Police set Johnson’s bond for $35,000, and police are holding Weeks on a $75,000 bond. The SLCSO Jail information stated police arrested Johnson because of a warrant for battery misdemeanor. Additionally, he has been charged with felonies that included burglary, grand theft auto and criminal mischief. The total bond for Johnson is $71,500. However, it is not clear if police will return Johnson to Okeechobee County for his other charges.

In the SLCSO report, an officer pulled Johnson over for speeding near the intersection at Farmer’s Market Road in Fort Pierce at 11:40pm. The deputy approached the 2014 Honda sports utility vehicle and said he saw Johnson in the driver’s seat and Weeks in the backseat. According to the deputy’s report, the vehicle had a strong marijuana odor coming from inside the Honda. Deputy N. Stubley said 39 grams of alleged marijuana was easily visible from outside the vehicle. The alleged marijuana was packaged into three bags, and the seat had been moved as far forward as possible. Deputy N. Stubley tested the marijuana and discovered that it field tested positive. Under Florida law, drug possession could be actual, constructive or joint. A person found with drugs in a vehicle is not necessarily guilty. Generally, police arrest every occupant in the vehicle. If there is no further evidence of guilt, this could mean insufficient evidence of guilt. The drug charge can be dismissed upon a C-4 motion.

Deputy Stubley moved the SUV’s front seat on the passenger side and noticed a 9mm semi-automatic handgun that was loaded. The weapon was sitting on floor and readily available to the driver. When Stubley checked the gun, he found it had been stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2010 in Okeechobee County.

The handling of such important matters should only be given to attorneys who have established a proven track record in all aspects of defense. This includes challenge to search and seizure techniques, reliability of confidential informants and wiretap warrant. If you need an Okeechobee drug defense lawyer for a similar legal situation, the Law Office of Jeffrey H. Garland can assist you. We have helped many individuals to win similar cases. You can contact our dedicated firm at 772-489-2200.