A Greene County deputy arrested an Atlanta man for trafficking marijuana and other charges on May 20, following a traffic stop on I-20 eastbound near the Greensboro exit.
Lamarr Jefferson Ford, of 935 Marietta St. NW, Apt B1, Atlanta, was first cited for a window tint violation and later charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and trafficking cocaine.
Deputy Leo Sierra said he detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle when he first approached after making the traffic stop to check the vehicle’s window tint.
Sierra also said he saw Ford “reaching toward and holding an object underneath the driver’s seat area, which raised officer safety concerns.”
Ford admitted he had a firearm underneath his seat. Sierra tested the front passenger window tint with a tint meter, which revealed a light transmission of 7%, in violation of Georgia law.
As the investigation continued, Ford got out of the vehicle and told Sierra he had active warrants related to traffic violations in Atlanta.
Ford said he was traveling to Columbia, S.C., to visit his daughter and appeared extremely nervous throughout the encounter, according to the report. Although Ford’s license listed a Charleston, S.C., address, he said he had been living in Atlanta for approximately one year while operating his own clothing line.
Ford also said the vehicle belonged to a friend who also seemed to have a Charleston address.
A GCIC inquiry then revealed two outstanding arrest warrants from Taliaferro County and one from Fulton County.
Sierra said Ford told him he had smoked marijuana in the car two days earlier to explain the odor.
A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, and Sierra located the loaded handgun underneath the driver’s seat.
Sierra also found and observed an Apple iPhone on the driver’s seat with a GPS application open, indicating a destination in the Augusta Mall.
Sierra then found a large cardboard box sealed with duct tape in the passenger area behind the driver’s seat.
Inside the box, Sierra found 25 vacuum-sealed bags containing suspected marijuana with a total weight of one pound. Ford was arrested and transported to the Greene County Jail without incident.