Sunrise man arrested on drug charges within sight of Sarasota PD building

A traffic stop within sight of Sarasota Police Department headquarters in late August prompted the search of a vehicle and a drug arrest, the department reported after lab testing confirmed last week initial officer findings.

Josh Davis, 35 of Sunrise, was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver and one count of trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams (equivalent to 1 ounce). He is being held at the Sarasota County Jail. Additional charges are pending, Sarasota Police reported.

In a news release, Sarasota Police said the incident began around 3 p.m. Aug. 20 at the corner of Adams Lane and East Avenue when a vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. Arrest documents list the location of the incident as 2010 Adams Lane, the same address as the driveway to Payne Park, less than 100 feet from the SPD building’s front door.

As part of the officers’ investigation following the traffic stop, a police dog from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and his handler were called to the scene.

Image courtesy of Sarasota Police Department

According to a probable-cause affidavit, Gunnar, the K-9 officer, alerted to the presence of narcotics in the car, which opened the door for a further police search of the vehicle.

Inside, police reported, officers found a safe on the passenger side containing:

• Six bags of suspected cocaine;
• One bag of suspected Xanax;
• One pill bottle containing suspected Xanax and oxycodone;
• A metal spoon with residue;
• A plastic bag containing small individual baggies;
• A pen with a suspected THC capsule;
• Half of a suspected oxycodone pill;
• An uncapped syringe under the passenger seat;
• A backpack containing a small bag of suspected marijuana and a pipe.

Davis, the vehicle’s front-seat passenger, was arrested and told police the safe belonged to him. Subsequent to his arrest on Sept. 18, analysis confirmed the suspected cocaine tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 89.57 grams.