Sarasota Man Arrested For Trafficking In Bath Salts

SARASOTA, FL – Sarasota Police have arrested a 38-year-old man for possession and trafficking the methamphetamine known as bath salts.

Michael Peterson of Sarasota was arrested on an outstanding warrant in connection to a July case after lab results showed he was in possession of more than 40 grams of N-Ethlypentylone,

On July 17 at about 1:30 a.m., Sarasota Police officers were on patrol in the area of 25th Street and Maple Avenue when they saw Peterson traveling north in the southbound lanes of Maple Avenue with no headlights.

When officers attempted to stop Peterson, he fled while throwing a backpack out of the car.

Officers caught Peterson a short time later and located his backpack. While searching the backpack, officers found a digital scale, cash and a mixture of methamphetamine and cocaine in five small plastic baggies with a total weight of 42.2 grams. The substance tested positive for cocaine but was submitted to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office lab for verification.

Peterson was charged with cocaine possession within 1,000 feet of a church, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence. He was taken to the Sarasota County Jail and later bonded out.

On Aug. 8, Sarasota police received results from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office lab indicating the drug they submitted for testing from Peterson was N-Ethlypentylone. Peterson was arrested for trafficking in bath salts.

Image via Sarasota Police

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