A Fruitland Park man was arrested after his nervous behavior during a traffic stop tipped law enforcement off to the drugs in his possession.
Geoffrey Michael Crane, 29, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia after he was stopped around 1:20 a.m. on U.S. Highway 441 in Leesburg. An officer on patrol saw Crane make a suspicious movement towards the floorboard when he saw the patrol car, according to the Leesburg Police arrest report.
The officer ran the license plate and saw the vehicle’s registration had expired in May 2023 – less than two hours prior to the stop. As the officer explained the reason for the stop, Crane exhibited nervous behavior by sweating from his face and arms, as well as avoiding eye contact with his hands shaking during this interaction, the report said.
Crane’s license was checked, revealing it was not valid due to an indefinite cancellation for failure to comply (third violation) on May 24, 2023. The officer also saw a glass pipe commonly used for smoking narcotics on the floorboard where Crane had been reaching earlier. Because of this, Crane was arrested, according to the report.
The car was searched and three small plastic baggies containing 3.5 grams of a crystal rock-like substance were located within a brown tri-fold wallet. The substance later tested positive for methamphetamine. Crane said he did not know the exact amount he bought, but he paid $50 for the methamphetamine in Eustis, the report said.
In addition to the drug charges, the New York native was also issued a citation for driving while license suspended/revoked without knowledge. He was taken to the Lake County Jail, with bond set at $3,000.
