A Cape Coral man was arrested early Tuesday after police found multiple firearms and drugs in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
According to Cape Coral police, the incident happened at 12:45 a.m. when an officer pulled over a red four-door car along Del Prado Boulevard South.
The officer said they saw the driver, Matthew Christopher Whited, 25, of Lehigh Acres, making suspicious movements under his seat as they approached.
When the officer approached the driver’s side, he said he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Whited continued to move a lot, prompting the officer to order him out of the car.
During a search of the car, the officer said he found a loaded gun on the floorboard between the driver’s legs, where Whited had been reaching.
Officers also discovered a Draco firearm under a blanket in the backseat, three additional firearms in the trunk, and various quantities of drugs, including over 500 grams of marijuana, more than 28 grams of cocaine, and approximately 0.2 grams of fentanyl.
Police said they also found a black scale with residue, $4,335 in cash, and a clear bag containing multiple empty baggies under the driver’s seat.
Whited was arrested and faces several charges, including trafficking cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, and display of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
He is currently being held at the Lee County Jail as the investigation continues.