On February 3rd, 2024, deputies in Florida stopped a car for speeding during what seemed like a routine traffic stop. But within minutes, officers noticed several suspicious signs that quickly turned the encounter into a much larger investigation. >> Hello, Debbie Dorsey. Can I have your license, ma'am? If I can see your license, sir, because of your speed. 81 in a 70. Any weapons in the vehicle at all? No? Go ahead and roll that down for me. Any weapons at all? >> No, just my purse. >> Okay. Can I see your registration and insurance? Hello. Is that the What is that? That's his license? What is it? Why is it in this? Huh? From where? Huh? But where What is it in that bag like that? At jail? What were you in jail for? Huh? I don't know. What kind of little stuff? What were you in jail for? Huh? Am I serious? >> No, we said it's >> I mean, it's a question. It's a valid question that I need your license out. Can you take it out of there? What were you in jail for? >> Any weapons in here, sir? >> No, no weapons in here. >> So, what were you arrested for? I'm asking you. Or you can have I can read that paper if you just don't want to tell me. I don't know. You I don't know why that's just not hard to just say words. You know, to and step out of the vehicle. Hey. Doors. Any weapons on you? All right, come back here. Hey, one at a time, please. Thank you. I smell weed in the vehicle. You got a medical marijuana card? What's that? It's a burnt odor of weed as well. Is there anything illegal in there? You going to find anything in there when we search it? Like marijuana narcotics. Okay. Did you give me your ID yet? >> No, that's my ID. >> What y'all sitting in? >> I'm trying to understand what is this for. It's only 11 and that's 11. It's only 4:00. You 1 mile over what you supposed to be. >> According to the Constitution, man. >> No, this is this is a traffic stop and this is now a narcotics investigation. >> I was in a narcotics >> So, give me your license. >> I was in a narcotics investigation. >> So, I can smell the odor of burnt marijuana emitting from the vehicle. >> That was marijuana. >> And I could see I I saw shake in the presence on his uh shirt, so. >> That's marijuana a long time ago. >> Anyone on probation or parole? >> No. >> You're on probation or parole? >> No. >> What are you doing? Let's go. Right there in the grass. You good. >> I love I I 81 and a 70. 81 and a 70. That's not That's not valid. I mean I mean you know that's not valid. You know it's not valid. >> GET OUT OF THE CAR, SIR, before I tell you again. >> COME ON. >> NO, WE smell weed or tell you to get out of the car. I don't care. I'm telling you what to do. Get out. Come back here. I thought there was nothing illegal in there. Okay. If that's all that that there is, then we'll be okay. You can be detained if you lied about it and there's narcotics in the vehicle electrically. I smell I smell the burnt odor of marijuana. That means he's a liar, too. Unless he didn't know, that's on you. So, what was he arrested for that you guys don't want to tell me? You know what it is. I don't know. Your guy's is refusing to tell us. Secure him, too. All right. Keep your hands right there. No. What was the kid that he was doing? That That looks grown to me. How old is he? That's grown. Okay. So, what was he arrested for? I don't know why it's hard to answer. Guns, drugs? Burglary, robbery? Don't go reaching around. Keep your hands up. No, you're good. I feel like if it was just stealing, you would have just said that. I don't know why he's making it difficult. Hop on out. Hop on out. Hop on out. I didn't say put your shoes on. I said step out. Face the vehicle. Step to your left. Keep stepping to your left. Hands on the car. Spread your feet apart. Turn around. Lean up against the vehicle. Matthew, one more time. I'm going to ask you to be truthful. Is there anything in the vehicle? I didn't ask you I didn't ask you if you had anything. I just came out You don't have a mouth? >> It's right here. It's my jail paper, everything right there in front of you, bro. I literally just got out. >> For what? I want you to tell me. >> You just opened the paper. >> Put your butt on the car. All right. I'll just for a second stand over there with them cuz I don't I don't want to order the and close the door so nobody don't go nowhere. Their possible shirt had the weed on them. What was this guy 15 for? Running from the police and shoplifting. You look about 20 feet. Huh? Looks about 20. >> There's a big old nugget right here too. That was between the seat and the other one on this side. >> While you were searching it, the big guy said, "Uh I know they're going to take me again." So, he clearly has a CH as well. >> Yeah, while they were refusing to step out, there's a blunt right here. Two in the door over here. Just make sure it's clear. >> They all said that there was nothing else in here, by the way. Hey, we might have trafficking or possession with intent. Yeah, but they have little jars in there. 15 seconds. Yo. Yeah, just that. One second. Get the pink bag out. Why you acting surprised? They got her. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you. If at any time you wish to stop talking or having an attorney present, all questioning will be stopped at your request. Do you all understand these rights? >> See? >> Do you understand these rights? >> rights. >> Yo, do you understand these rights? Yes. >> I do not understand. >> I need a yes or no. >> I did. >> I need a I need a verbal yes or no. >> I do not understand. >> I'm sorry? >> I'm asking for a lawyer. >> I'm You're detained right now. So, for us to talk to you, we we have to make sure that you understand your rights. So, yes or no, you understand? Yo. All right. Have a seat in the back of my car for now. All right. Have a seat in the back of my car. Thanks. When you're ready to let me know if you understand, we'll come back and we'll talk to you. All right. Have a seat. Thank you. Sir, do you understand these rights? Okay. Okay. >> No, I'm not. >> So, essentially what Deputy Dorsey was trying to explain to you, we're conducting a criminal investigation. So, you're all legally detained right now. So, while we're conducting this criminal investigation, you have to identify yourself. Right. Right. So, a refusal to identify yourself would be a crime, which is what he was trying to explain to you, which means you have to. We're compelling you to at this point. >> Uh compelling is is is is basically forcing, right? >> Yes. >> Correct. So, >> So, if you if you refuse, you go to jail. >> No, I'm I'm I'm not I was not refusing, but I was just saying to um self-incriminate myself. >> We didn't ask you to incriminate yourself. We asked you to identify you. So, >> if I would Would you have been comfortable with me just saying my name? >> Yes. Is that a trick question? >> No, no. I was just cuz I kind of was trying to tell him my name, but he wanted my ID specifically. >> Okay. Uh >> So, what y'all trying to lock all of us up? >> We want to talk to you. Are you You want talk to me? >> About what? >> What we just found. Can we talk back there? What's up, man? >> Man, we got to go through the man, that's my little bit of weed, bro. I had some of it in my pocket. The rest of it is in my bag, man. >> A little bit of weed ain't a big deal. >> Yeah, bro. We just came to pick a dude that was locked up in jail, bro. I had no weed since when I was out, man. I ain't We came all the way here to pick my man up that was locked up. You know what I'm saying? That's it, man. It's in my bag. That's about it, man. You know what I'm saying? You ain't got to go through that for nobody else. That's my weed, man. It's some of the weed in my pocket. It's some in the side door cuz I was sitting up there a little while ago where my shoes at. Smoke some smoke the blunt. You know what I'm saying? Man, that's about it, man. That's my weed. Nobody else going to know it's my weed, man. You trying to Come on, see the fresh lines and the bruises and >> Yeah, man. I'd be nice to know. I mean, I'll be honest, it's not looking too good. You know what I mean? And if it's not yours, it's not yours. If it is, it is. Uh, but we'd like to know that type of stuff. Where are y'all Why were y'all in Miami? >> This is a free country, bro. We got to travel anywhere, right? >> Sure. But not with a bunch of narcotics like that. >> That's my weed. >> Start You don't know anybody that knows Are they going to say the same thing? >> I was I was sleeping in the front seat, man. I don't know anything. >> Okay. What about the the baggy that was in the the glove box? You don't know anything about that either? Were you Yeah, that was readily accessible to you? You were in constructive possession of? >> Uh, it was it was an empty baggy? >> No. >> Something in there? >> Yeah. >> Passenger on the right? >> You were sitting there, you tell me. >> I don't know. >> Listen, bro. Do you know what constructive possession is? >> No. >> So, anywhere you would have like readily readily accessible to you where you anywhere to you where you could reach and stuff like that. So, let's say the driver wouldn't be able to it wouldn't be readily accessible to the driver to the glove box, you know what I mean? For you, it is. So, who's to say I don't know this to be true, but who's to say when that deputy got behind you like oh put it in the glove box. You know what I mean? So, God forbid everybody here says the same thing. They probably will. They say I don't know anything about anything. Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen. They're going to say they don't know about anything. That will turn to be accessible accessible to you. You're going to have a problem taking the fall for it. You know what I mean? So, that's why we're saying we want to know who the deputy is. That way if it's not yours, we you you go free. I'm sure they will. All right. You understood your rights and stuff or you want me to reread them? Okay. What's going on? Where do you live? Are you visiting or do you go to school? Do you work or What do you do? Postal service? So, you're a federal employee? You're a federal employee? Okay. Does that you being arrested that that mess with your job or no? Do you understand these rights? Give me a verbal yes or no. Okay. So, you guys were coming to pick up the young the driver from South Florida? Okay. You guys all went down there together? Okay. Are you guys all related? Are you guys all related? >> Cuz y'all doing it. Sorry, these are my babies. Don't play with my kids. I tell them no all the time. >> So where'd you go? You were saying all that's yours? Okay. All right. You were saying that was in the car? >> Everything, man. >> You can't call that yours. He was >> I look I was sitting there. Look, as you can as you can see, right? I was just up there. My sneakers is still up there. You know what I'm saying? I was sitting up there. I went rolled me a blunt, stuck it in the side, man. You know what I'm saying? >> When did you guys switch seats? >> Five minutes 40 minutes, 30 minutes ago. >> Okay. So why do you have all that weed then? >> The weed I was smoking, man. I always got >> You ain't smoking that much weed. You selling it down there or you selling it up there? Cuz I know you're selling it one place. >> Listen, this is the thing, man. I'm from New York City, man. We get I have weed all day. Like that's it. I'm from New >> Exactly. So there would be no reason for you to bring large quantities to South Florida with you. >> Huh? >> So there'd be no reason for the such a large quantity. >> actually remember it was in the bag. I always got it there. I was just doing >> So you ride around with just the perfect amount of product to sell narcotics. >> Nah, not to sell nothing. I smoke weed. >> Okay. Well, that right there is a selling. >> Selling? >> Selling. Have you been arrested before for possession? >> Maybe 20 20 something years >> When was the last time you were arrested? >> Possession. Uh >> For anything at all? >> Yeah, I was just arrested like >> How long ago? For what? For what? Uh a warrant. >> What was the warrant for? >> New York City. I believe I had a warrant. >> I didn't say where, I said what. What was it for? >> Stealing. >> Stealing? Okay. Have you been been to prison? >> Yes. Years >> How long did you spend in prison? >> One to three. >> One to three for what? >> Stealing. >> Stealing? 250. Any trafficking charges in the past or drug charges? >> Yeah. >> With intent? Never Never arrested for sale? >> No. >> Okay. You on probation or parole right now? >> No. >> Okay. Are you Have any open cases right now? >> Yes. >> The warrant? >> Yes. >> Anything else? So, you're trying to say all that is yours including the weed that was in the front. Okay. >> Just switched >> Okay. But, uh, were you smoking while you were driving or something then? >> No. >> Okay. What about the other ones? Just you. You were the only one smoking? Okay. So, why they Why would they have weed on their clothing if they weren't smoking either? Stop your lying to me. >> Might have weed on their clothes? >> Yes. All right. You have a seat in the back of my car over here. >> I wish on the food of life curse these right here right now for the rest of their life. >> All right. You're both under arrest, okay? You're both going to jail. >> For what? >> Yo. >> Hey, yo. What What AM I UNDER ARREST FOR? >> YO. Can you ask what they talking about? >> In the end, deputies charged the passenger with felony possession with intent to sell along with possession of drug paraphernalia after he admitted ownership of the narcotics found inside the vehicle. The driver was also charged with misdemeanor cannabis possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and cited for speeding after deputies observed marijuana flakes on his clothing during the stop. However, the case would later take another turn. About a month after the arrest, the state dropped all criminal charges against the driver. Meanwhile, the passenger, who claimed responsibility for the drugs, failed to appear in court and according to available records, no further action has been taken in the case since then. What began as a simple speeding stop ultimately turned into a complicated narcotics investigation filled with conflicting stories, nervous behavior, and multiple arrests. Cases like this also highlight how quickly routine traffic stops can escalate once deputies believe criminal activity may be involved.