Man arrested in Cape Coral for drug trafficking and gun possession | News, Sports, Jobs

Matthew Christopher Whited

A Lehigh man was arrested early Tuesday morning after police found firearms and drugs in his car during a traffic stop.

On August 20, at approximately 12:45 a.m., a Cape Coral police officer stopped a red four-door vehicle near the 3800 block of Del Prado Blvd. S.

According to the report “As the officer routinely shined his spotlight on the vehicle, he saw the driver reach under the seat and appear to be tampering with an object.”

As the officer approached the car, Matthew Christopher Whited, 25, began to exit the vehicle without being asked. The officer asked him to get back in the car, and as they got to the driver's side of the car, the officer smelled “the smell of burnt marijuana coming from the car.”

The officer said Whited continued to walk around and was “reach for something under the driver’s seat”, The officer asked Whited to “Put his hands on the steering wheel.”

According to the report “seemed to be reaching for an object again”, The officer ordered Whited to exit the vehicle.

Police searched the vehicle and reportedly found the following:

• A loaded firearm lying on the ground where he reached

• A Draco firearm, found under a blanket in the back seat, within reach of the driver

• Three additional firearms in the trunk

• More than 500 grams of marijuana

• More than 28 grams of cocaine powder

• More than 1 gram of cocaine

• About 0.2 grams of fentanyl

• A black scale with residue on the top of the center console

• $4,335 in cash

• A transparent bag with several empty bags under the driver's seat

Whited was arrested and charged with:

One count each of trafficking cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to resell, possession of fentanyl, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of paraphernalia, and two counts of displaying a firearm during the commission of a crime because two of the firearms were concealed and within reach of the driver.