Holmes Beach police arrested a Bradenton juvenile Nov. 27 on two third-degree felony charges for allegedly stealing a firearm from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana.
The juvenile, who was not named, also faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge for allegedly possessing a firearm while under the age of 18.
An officer was patrolling in the 100 block of 52nd Street around 8:25 p.m. when he observed a parked vehicle with its lights on and engine running.
The officer, when he approached the vehicle, detected a smell of burnt marijuana, according to a police report.
The officer identified the driver and two juveniles in the vehicle’s backseat and saw green flakes resembling marijuana on one of the juvenile’s laps.
After backup arrived, officers placed the vehicle’s occupants under temporary custody and performed pat-down searches.
The report said one of the juveniles possessed a loaded firearm that was reported stolen from the MCSO.
In the vehicle, police reported finding 38 vaporizer pens, one marijuana cigarette, two containers with 140.1 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia, as well as four partial 12-packs of Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
The officers contacted the juveniles’ parents and read them their Miranda rights.
The officers issued the driver a citation for possession of multiple containers of alcohol in the vehicle.
Police issued one juvenile a citation for allegedly possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana and released him into the custody of his mother.
The officers arrested the juvenile found in possession of the firearm and transported him to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton for medical clearance before taking him to a juvenile assessment center, also in Bradenton.