Photo Gallery | Report: 'My mom said it smelled like weed too'
Five people were arrested on drug and gun charges in two separate stops on Interstate 95.
On Thursday, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged 23-year-old Joshua Anthony Edwards, 24-year-old Nicholas Cole Flanagan and 24-year-old Donovan Way Jackson, with trafficking cocaine, unlawful carrying of a pistol, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and possession of marijuana, the report stated.
The next day, 22-year-old Julianne Caruso and 26-year-old Alexjandro Salmanca were arrested for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both sets of arrests resulted from traffic stops conducted by the I-95 Interdiction Team of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
The report said at 2:52 p.m. Thursday, a car driven by Flanagan was stopped near mile marker 134 for leaving its lane. The officer making the stop reportedly smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and spoke with Flanagan and his passengers, Edwards and Jackson, separately.
After the men reportedly gave contradictory information about the smell and their destination, the car was searched. Officers reportedly uncovered 51 grams of cocaine in three separate bags inside the glove compartment.
Two grams of marijuana and a water bottle containing suspected cocaine were allegedly found in the rear seat. Six guns - a .40-caliber Glock 23, a .25-caliber Beretta 950BS, a Smith & Wesson .38 Special, a Taurus .38 Special, a P32, and a .40-caliber Kel-Tec Sub-2000 folding rifle - were also located in bags in the rear of the vehicle, deputies say.
According to the report, the Smith & Wesson had previously been reported stolen.
All three men were charged and transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.
The report said on Friday, the Interdiction Team made another stop for a traffic infraction about 9:29 a.m. near mile marker 137. The officer became suspicious when he noticed six air fresheners in the car as well as two bags of air fresheners on the passenger's side floor, the report stated.
According to the report, Salmanca, the driver, said they had traveled to Florida to visit his mother, whose dog was sick. A K-9 unit indicated the presence of drugs in the car.
When deputies opened the truck they reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana, to which Salmanca reportedly said, "My mom said it smelled like weed too."
Deputies reported uncovering almost 1,000 grams of marijuana in two bags inside the truck, with an estimated street value of $10,000. They also reportedly recovered a set of rolling papers in a jewelry box, a set of digital scales with marijuana residue on them, a pair of latex gloves and about $1,527 in cash.
Both Salmanca and Caruso were transported to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center.
