Man arrested with guns, more than 1K grams of drugs after fleeing Collier County deputies

Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
Joshua Frederick Basham
Joshua Frederick Basham, 27. (Credit: Collier County Sheriff’s Office)

A car chase in Collier County led to the arrest of a convicted felon who deputies say had guns and drugs in his car.

Deputies arrested Joshua Frederick Basham, 27, of Fort Myers, on Tuesday after he led them on a brief chase that began on Thomasson Drive near Palmetto Court and ended when Basham crashed his car into a ditch and tried to run away. Deputies say Bahsam fled after they attempted to stop him for a traffic offense.

The sheriff’s office says deputies were able to catch Basham as he tried scaling a fence after crashing his car.

After apprehending Basham, deputies searched his car. Inside they say they found three loaded handguns, 489 grams of methamphetamine, 592 grams of cocaine, 392 grams of fentanyl, and 103 grams of heroin.

Evidence found in Basham’s car. (Credit: Collier County Sheriff’s Office)

The sheriff’s office says the fentanyl found is enough to kill nearly 200,000 people.

Deputies say they also found $2,696 cash on his personal five cell phones in his car.

Basham is facing charges of fentanyl trafficking, heroin trafficking, cocaine trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Deputies say Basham was out on bond for a previous drug trafficking offense at the time of his arrest.

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