Dacula Teen Charged With Marijuana, Weapon Possession

A suspicious activity call at Dacula Park led to the arrest of a local teen on charges of marijuana and weapon possession.

Gwinnett County Police were dispatched to the park on Sept. 7 in response to a report of several young males gathered in the park near the pavilion. When police arrived, the male subjects immediately got into their respective vehicles and drove away.

An officer stopped one of the vehicles for a brake light violation. During the course of the traffic stop, another officer asked for permission to search the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle initially said he needed to leave, but then granted consent for the search. The officers asked the driver and passengers to exit the vehicle. While patting down one of the passengers, identified as Deion Strayhon, 18, of Dacula, the officer noticed “an overwhelming odor of marijuana.”

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During the search of the vehicle, officers located a .38 caliber handgun in the back pouch of the front passenger seat.  Strayhon and a juvenile passenger were detained in handcuffs since the weapon had been within their reach. Both Strayhon and the juvenile denied owning the gun or knowing to whom it belonged.

A few moments later, one of the officers noticed a small, red plastic baggy containing a green, leafy material which appeared to be marijuana on the ground approximately five feet from where Strayhon had been standing. Upon questioning, Strayhon said the marijuana was not his, however, during a subsequent search of his person, the officer located another red baggy containing marijuana in Strayhon’s pants.

Strayhon was placed under arrest on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. The juvenile was advised he was being arrested on a charge of minor in possession of a handgun. The juvenile was later released to a parent.

Strayhon was transported to the Gwinnett County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail, Strayhon reportedly said, “Excuse me officer, I have more marijuana.” Deputies searched Strayhon and found a clear baggy of green, leafy material, which also appeared to be marijuana. As a result, Strayhon was also charged with crossing a guard line with drugs.

Strayhon was released from jail the following day on a $12,700.

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