Key Largo – A traffic stop for speeding in Key Largo this morning resulted in the arrest of two men and the recovery of a handgun stolen in Fort Myers, Florida.
Deputy Matthew O’Neill was on patrol at 2:10 a.m. near the Jewfish Creek Bridge when he spotted a red Mercury sedan traveling at a high rate of speed southbound. With his radar, he measured the speed at 70 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. He pulled the car over at the 106.5 mile marker of the highway.
A check of the two men in the vehicle revealed the driver was a convicted felon on probation and that one of the terms of his probation was he had to give consent to search his vehicle.
Inside the vehicle, Deputy O’Neill found marijuana. He also found a 9mm Ruger handgun which, when checked, turned out to have been stolen from Fort Myers, Florida. Sgt. Jason Madnick, who responded to back up Deputy O’Neill, found drug paraphernalia in the car as well.
The driver, 28 year old Emmanuel Clarke of Lithonia, Georgia and 25 year old Absolum Jones of Newport News, Virginia were both arrested. Clarke was charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Jones was charged with possession of marijuana. Both were booked into jail.