Century man faces charge

A Century man who had an active warrant in Alabama is facing more felony gun and drug charges following a traffic stop last Tuesday.

Joseph Leslie Simmons, 34, 1301 McBride Road, was the passenger in a vehicle that stopped directly in front of an unmarked patrol vehicle Tuesday when he was recognized by the patrol officer, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report.

A K-9 deputy arrived on scene and Simmons, along with the driver, were detained while the K-9 conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle, the report said. The K-9 gave a positive alert to the presence of narcotics.

Deputies searched the vehicle and found a clear, plastic bag of methamphetamine in the middle console. They also found 35 hydrocodone pills on the driver's seat and driver side floor board. The report stated in the glove box they also located a .380 caliber handgun with three rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.

The deputy spoke to the driver, who told him Simmons had paid her to give him a ride to Montgomery to buy narcotics. She said upon being pulled over, Simmons threw the pills in her lap and asked her to hide them, according to the report.

Dispatch advised Simmons had two felony convictions in the state of Florida.

Simmons was arrested and charged with felony possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and two counts of felony drug possession. He was transported to Santa Rosa County Jail and given a bond of $55,000.

Following transport of Simmons, the deputy searched the backseat of his patrol car and found a plastic baggie containing 14.8 grams of methamphetamine inside a crevice near the seat belt, the report said. Simmons was the only person transported during the shift and a thorough search is done before every shift and after every transport.

Simmons was also charged with trafficking meth of 14 grams or more and given an additional bond of $100,000, for a total bond of $155,000.

 
 
Rendered 03/18/2024 12:23