Traffic stop leads to 2 drug trafficking arrests

CAPE CORAL, Fla.-  A traffic stop for a minor equipment violation led to much more.

Police arrested 26-year-old Jordan Lombardy and 22-year-old Bethany Bolten.

Wednesday night around 9 p.m., an officer stopped a silver Ford Mustang traveling north at the 400 block of Santa Barbara Blvd S, for driving without working tag lights. The vehicle came to a stop in the parking lot of 8 NE Pine Island Rd.

During the course of the traffic stop, a K9 officer arrived on scene and had his canine, perform an open air sniff of the vehicle. The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle and a narcotics investigation was started.

Lombardy and Bolten were removed form the vehicle and detained.

Police say a search of the car revealed a purple Crown Royal felt bag stuffed between the passenger seat and passenger door. Inside of the bag were several bags containing a white crystal substance, and one bag containing a light brownish powder that had hardened into a single rock. The white crystal substance tested positive for methamphetamine. The light brownish powder tested positive for heroin.

Also found in the vehicle was a green rubber container located under the driver seat of the vehicle. Inside the green container was, what appeared to be, marijuana wax. The wax tested positive for THC.

In the trunk of the vehicle, concealed inside of three separate “stinky bags,” which police say are designed to mask the odor of its contents, was, what appeared to be, synthetic marijuana. The substance tested positive for synthetic cannabis.

Also in the trunk of the vehicle concealed in a separate “stinky bag” was a green leafy substance. The substance tested positive for THC. The marijuana was also packaged in two separate baggies, a manner consistent with packaging it for sale. Also found in the trunk of the vehicle was a marijuana pipe.

During a search of Bolten, she admitted to concealing a blue plastic container on her person. A female officer was called to the scene to conduct a further search of Bolten and at that time Bolten turned the container over. Inside the container was more heroin. The heroin was packaged in several small plastic baggies.

Officers determined that Lombardy was operating his vehicle outside his DL restrictions of business purpose only as he had driven to Bolten’s residence to pick her up and were going to McDonald’s.

Lombardy was placed under arrest for a number of charges, including trafficking in heroin, possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell and for violation of drivers license restrictions.

Bolten is facing charges for trafficking in heroin and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell.

During a search of the vehicle, authorities also found a wad of cash under the driver seat floor mat, along with two other separate money rolls located in Lombardy’s pockets. The sum of the cash found was $2,061.