Cop Finds 49 Bags of Synthetic Marijuana During Traffic Stop

A Lawrenceville man attracted some unwanted attention when he reportedly sped past a Gwinnett County police cruiser on April 18.

The officer, who was on the way to GCPD's North Precinct for roll call, estimated Neko Brown, 32, was driving approximately 60 mph in a 45 mph zone on Buford Drive. Brown's vehicle, a silver Honda Accord, also had an inoperative center brake light.

"I turned on my blue lights as the vehicle passed Mall of Georgia Boulevard," the officer wrote in the report. "I noticed the driver, Brown, started quickly trying to stuff something down by the center console."

Upon approaching Brown's car, the officer noticed the odor of burned marijuana. Brown, who claimed to be heading to a meeting in Gainesville, was "very animated" according to the officer's account of the incident.

"He was very friendly in the car and laughed a lot," the officer noted. "His behavior seemed odd to me given that most motorists are not that excited to be pulled over and sitting in my patrol car."

When asked about the marijuana odor, Brown reportedly denied having smoked any marijuana explaining that he smoked cigars and synthetic marijuana instead. He also informed the officer he was on federal probation.

The officer asked for consent to search the car, which Brown reportedly granted. While waiting for a backup officer to arrive, the officer asked Brown if there was anything he wanted to say. At that point, Brown allegedly admitted having synthetic marijuana in the car and handed the officer a packet of synthetic marijuana from his pocket.

Once backup arrived, the officer searched Brown's vehicle and found two bags in the passenger compartment containing what appeared to be chunks of marijuana cut from a larger block. 

The officer returned to where Brown was waiting with the backup officer and informed Brown he was under arrest. Once the other officer moved to place Brown in handcuffs, Brown "started to become non-compliant."

"Brown pulled his hands away from [the other officer] and said, 'If you tase me, then what?' I gave Brown multiple commands to put his hands behind his back and he refused. Brown then lowered his shoulder and pushed [the other officer] back toward traffic," the report stated.

Concerned for the other officer's safety, the arresting officer tased Brown. The probe spread, however, was too close and failed to incapacitate him. Brown continue to resist as both officer's attempted to place him in handcuffs, so the arresting officer deployed the taser once more.

"Brown screamed he couldn't breathe, but he was yelling and screaming the entire time," the officer noted. 

After securing Brown in the patrol car, the officer continued the search of Brown's vehicle and discovered another bag in the trunk which contained 49 bags of suspected synthetic marijuana. The officer also located a mostly burned marijuana blunt in the ashtray.

Brown was booked into the jail on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and obstruction. As of May 1, he remained jailed without bond. 

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