A Water Oaker was arrested with drugs on the Historic Side of The Villages.
James Christopher Franckewitz, 42, who resides at 684 Cedar Lane, at 9:41 a.m. Sunday pulled into the parking lot of Circle K at 3 LaGrande Blvd., approached the clerk and said he was looking for his “baby,” according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. He left his vehicle behind in the parking lot. The front windows were rolled down and customers at Circle K immediately pointed to a “green vegetable substance” on the front seat, that they identified as marijuana.
Franckewitz, who left on foot, was found by officers behind the Sleep Number Bed store at 921 N. U.S. Hwy. 27/441. He originally gave officers a false name and when he revealed his true identity, officers discovered Franckewitz was wanted on outstanding warrants in Sumter County. The Charlotte, N.C. native was found to be in possession of 5.3 grams of cocaine. The marijuana left in the car weighed 8.58 grams.
He was arrested on charges of possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.
He was booked without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center.
Franckewitz was released from a Florida prison in December 2017. He had been convicted in Alachua County on charges of grand theft, trafficking in stolen property and providing false information to a pawn broker.