Punta Gorda man facing multiple drug charges after traffic stop

A Punta Gorda man was arrested after deputies say he was pulled over on Friday and found in possession of cocaine and marijuana.

According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, deputies pulled over a 2005 Nissan Armada driven by Milton S. Harris, 41, for a seatbelt violation and possible window tint violation. As they approached, they smelled marijuana, and Harris was already the subject of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Deputies asked Harris to exit the SUV.

Harris said did not have a medical marijuana card and his girlfriend had smoked in the vehicle. As soon as deputies opened the driver’s side door, they could see small pieces of suspected marijuana on the floorboard, which was confirmed by a field test. Harris began crying and said he was “going back to prison.”

Deputies found a small cardboard box on the front passenger floorboard containing multiple baggies of what was suspected to be additional marijuana and multiple baggies of a white substance believed to be cocaine. Testing confirmed both. Deputies also located several small, empty baggies commonly used in narcotics sales, matching the baggies containing the suspected cocaine.

The search revealed a total of 119 grams that tested positive for cannabis and 39 grams that tested positive for cocaine. Based on these findings, Harris was arrested. He faces multiple narcotics charges, including trafficking of cocaine, possession of cannabis, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After arresting Harris, deputies obtained a search warrant for his home on Lindsay Avenue, where they found an automatic pistol, substances that tested positive for cocaine and for fentanyl, and paraphernalia that indicated the manufacturing of crack cocaine.

Harris is currently being held at the Charlotte County Jail on a $215,000 bond.