The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men after a traffic stop led deputies to the discovery of a loaded gun, meth, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Deputies were conducting surveillance on a known drug house in Nokomis on Tuesday around 3:00 p.m., when they observed two men suspiciously enter the home and leave an hour later, carrying a backpack. Deputies followed pulled over the two near the intersection of Kilpatrick and Albee Farm roads. As they approached the vehicle, they immediately smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. The driver, 39-year-old Tommy Smith of Sarasota, consented to a search of the car where the weapon, drugs and drug-related items were found. A search of the passenger, 23-year-old Christopher Lester of Venice, turned up a syringe and two plastic baggies. Both Smith and Lester were taken into custody and face numerous charges.
