Holmes Beach police arrested resident Sean Dugan, 32, and Bridgette Rider, 43, of Bradenton, Dec. 8 on third-degree felony charges for allegedly possessing cocaine.
Dugan also faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge for allegedly possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana.
An officer found a vehicle parked with its lights on around 1:30 a.m. near a beach access on 30th Street. He could hear voices and could see smoke inside the vehicle, so he called for backup and made contact with the vehicle’s occupants, Dugan and Rider.
The officer smelled the odor of burnt marijuana from inside the vehicle, so he asked if either of them had a medical marijuana license, but they had no license.
Dugan provided a container with 1.1 grams of marijuana inside and said it was his.
The officer searched him and found a small bag inside a pack of cigarettes containing a 0.3 grams of a substance that tested positive for cocaine.
Another officer found “a white powder-like substance smeared” into the floorboard of the driver’s seat, where Rider had been sitting, according to a report.
Dugan and Rider were transported to the Manatee County jail. Dugan was released the same day after posting $2,000 bond and Rider was also released the same day after posting $1,500 bond.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge includes up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
Punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor charge includes up to one year in jail, one year of probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
An arraignment for Dugan will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Rider’s arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, also at the county judicial center.