Cleveland Police Department’s patrol Officers Ortega and Crisanto on Feb. 28 made a traffic stop in the 800 block of U.S. Highway 59 on a 2009 Nissan truck that was traveling northbound without a front license plate.
Once the officers got the truck pulled over, they approached the vehicle and reportedly detected a strong odor of what was believed to be marijuana inside the cab of the truck.
“Officers noticed the driver was very nervous, and he told officers he had a handgun on his hip. The driver was asked to exit the vehicle and the handgun was immediately removed from his waistline. It was a 9mm caliber firearm,” said Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard.
Officers stated that they smelled an even stronger odor of marijuana inside the truck when the doors were opened. A large red backpack was found in the rear seat of the truck. Officers performed a search of the backpack where they reportedly located large clear plastic baggies of marijuana. The baggies weighted a total of 6.6 pounds. The driver was arrested and the marijuana was seized.
Taken into custody was James Fredrick Quimby Jr., 31, of Houston Texas. He was later transported to the Liberty County Jail.
Quimby is charged with Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon, $5,000 bond, and Possession of Marijuana <5lbs> 4oz. (State jail felony), $10,000 bond. Bonds were set by Liberty County Justice of the Peace Precinct #2 Judge Jimmy Belt.
