OKEECHOBEE — Two 25-year-old males were arrested on drug charges after being stopped by Okeechobee City Police for suspected window tint violation and for a broken lens on a rear tail light.
Eli Manuel Roman Burgos, 50th Terrace Southwest, Naples and Jonathan Asencio Perez, Sorrento Street, Providence, R.I., were arrested March 16 on felony charges of trafficking in cocaine (more than 28 grams but less than 150 kilograms), possession of a controlled substance (cannabis) without a valid prescription and a misdemeanor charge of use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Their bonds were each set at $150,500.
These drugs were confiscated during the traffic stop. Courtesy stop.
According to an arrest report by OCPD Officer Luis Rojas, at approximately 7:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, he was traveling in the 300 block of State Road 70 West and saw a white Honda car with the right rear tail light lens broken. The vehicle also appeared to
Eli Manuel Roman Burgos, 25
have a window tint violation. A traffic stop was performed on the vehicle in the 100 block of Southwest Eighth Avenue.
Officer Rojas initially made contact with the passenger in the car, Perez, before talking with Burgos who was driving, stated the report. While he spoke with the occupants, Officer Rojas reportedly could smell a strong odor of cannabis emit from the vehicle and subsequently asked the two to step out of the vehicle and if there was any illegal contraband in the car.
Jonathan Asencio Perez, 25
A search of the vehicle resulted in the finding of a gold colored grinder that contained suspected cannabis residue in the side of the door, two clear plastic bags were located in the glove box and contained a total of 76 grams of suspected cannabis, and inside the center console of the car was a black grinder with suspected cannabis residue and 67 grams of suspected cocaine wrapped in a package covered in black electrical tape. The window tint was also found to be at 4 percent on all the windows of the car.
The report concluded that both Burgos and Perez were arrested, transported and booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on the aforementioned charges. Burgos also received a citation for violation of restrictions on sunscreening material. The vehicle was towed by John’s Towing Service. All of the suspected cannabis and cocaine tested positive for the presence of each and was collected as evidence to later be processed.