Holmes Beach police arrested a 15-year-old Sept. 2 on a third-degree felony charge for possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, a controlled substance.
The juvenile also was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia.
An officer patrolling Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, walked past a vehicle and smelled marijuana. He also saw a tray containing what appeared to be marijuana residue on the vehicle dashboard.
The officer spoke with two juveniles in the vehicle who said they did not have medical marijuana cards.
The officer searched the vehicle, including a backpack worn by one of the juveniles, and found a plastic bag containing 36.7 grams of marijuana and a digital scale.
The officer arrested the juvenile who was wearing the backpack and transported him to the Holmes Beach Police Department for processing.
The officer called the juvenile’s mother and explained the situation, then transported the subject to the Manatee Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Bradenton.
The officer released the vehicle and the other juvenile, who claimed not to know about the illegal items, to the custody of the juvenile’s mother.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge includes up to five years in prison, five years on probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
Punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor includes up to one year in jail, one year on probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
The arrested juvenile will be tried in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court’s juvenile court and may only be held for up to 21 days in a secure facility before release.