A Louisiana man was arrested after being pulled over at Circle K with a fake license plate, fake driver’s licenses and marijuana.
A deputy stopped 32-year-old Canthony Joseph Cooper at Circle K, 1001 S Main St., Wildwood, at 2:45 a.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. He was driving a black Hyundai without a license plate or one of its side mirrors. He also had to disconnect two jumper cables from a black device to shut off the vehicle.
Cooper did not have a license or registration to hand over, but he still provided his insurance. He then stated there was a temporary license plate secured to the back window, which was not visible at all. Taking a look at it now, the deputy saw it was out of Louisiana with a handwritten expiration date, the report said.
It was scribbled with multiple lines to make it look bold, and it showed that it was distributed by a dealership. However, running the license through a law enforcement database came back with no record. A later check of Louisiana State records concluded the temporary license plate was a fake, the report said.
During this process, a K-9 unit responded to the scene and positively alerted to the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed two wallets jammed between the driver’s seat and the center console. They contained Florida and Texas driver’s licenses with Cooper’s photo, and both turned out to be fake, the report said.
The search continued, and the deputies discovered marijuana in the center console. A broken pill sat in the rear passenger seat in a plastic bag, consistent with the transportation, distribution and selling of narcotics. The pill could not be identified at the time, the report said.
A final check using law enforcement databases determined Cooper’s license had been suspended in Louisiana, the report said.
Cooper was ultimately arrested on charges of possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams), driving while license suspended, two counts of possession of counterfeit driver’s license, and possession of counterfeit license plate. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center with bond set at $9,000.