The state attorney’s office’s is moving forward against a Largo resident arrested in Holmes Beach for possessing methamphetamine.
Judge Frederick Mercurio of the 12th Judicial Circuit informed Largo resident Steven Neidl, 25, at an April 9 arraignment that the SAO filed charges, including a third-degree felony for drug possession and a first-degree misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia.
A conviction for a third-degree felony charge can carry up to a five-year prison term and a $5,000 fine.
A Holmes Beach police officer stopped Neidl March 8 after he was found biking at night without lights.
The officer ran Neidl’s name through law enforcement databases and found an out-of-county warrant out for his arrest. He then searched Neidl and found a substance that tested positive for meth during a field test.
The officer arrested Neidl and transported him to the Manatee County jail, where he remained in custody under a $2,000 bond as of April 9.
The SAO didn’t file charges with the court until March 18, while Neidl pleaded not guilty March 10.
The next hearing had yet to be scheduled as of April 9, according to the Manatee County Clerk of Court.
— Ryan Paice