Sarasota man arrested after nearly 90 grams of fentanyl found in car, police say

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A man is facing multiple felony charges after a traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs inside his vehicle, according to the Sarasota Police Department.

On Aug. 20, Sarasota police officers conducted a traffic stop after the driver, identified as 35-year-old Josh Davis, allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign near Adams Lane and East Avenue. The stop was assisted by a Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputy, along with a K-9.

Authorities said the K-9 alerted positively to the vehicle, giving the officers probable cause to search inside.

During the search, officers said they recovered a black safe on the passenger side containing:

• Six bags of suspected cocaine
• One bag of suspected Xanax
• One pill bottle containing suspected oxycodone
• A metal spoon with residue
• A plastic bag containing small individual baggies
• A pen with a suspected THC capsule
• An uncapped syringe under the passenger seat
• A backpack containing a small bag of suspected marijuana and a pipe

During an interview, Davis admitted to owning the safe containing narcotics and said the white powder inside, which was initially thought to be cocaine, was fentanyl.

On Sept. 18, a controlled substance analysis confirmed that the substance tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 89.57 grams.

The Sarasota Police Department arrested Davis and charged him with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams.

According to police, additional charges are pending.