Failure To Click It Leads To Cocaine Arrest: Deputies

SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota man’s alleged failure to click it led to a lot more than a ticket earlier this week. According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the 69-year-old man faces felony charges after a routine seat belt violation stop led to the discovery of trafficking amounts of cocaine, narcotic equipment and marijuana.

The case against Joseph Balcom began to unfold around 7 p.m. July 3 when a deputy spotted a white Toyota Tundra leaving the 6507 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota Pavilion. The deputy noticed the driver was not wearing a seat belt and caught up with him on Stickney Point Road, an arrest report said.

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Balcom, the report noted, pulled over without issue and provided his identification, insurance and registration as requested. The deputy gave Balcom a warning, but then asked for permission to search the vehicle after a “strong odor of marijuana” was noticed, the report said. The deputy also happened to spot a large Tupperware container behind the dirver’s seat.

Balcom, the arrest report said, granted permission for the search. The deputy ultimately found 7.3 grams of marijuana in the Tupperware container and placed Balcom under arrest at that time, the report said. A further search of the Tundra turned up a locked black safe in a compartment under a seat. That safe contained envelopes with cocaine inside, the report said. All told, officials say they recovered about 35 grams of cocaine from the separate envelopes. A little more than $900 in cash was also found in the vehicle.

After his arrest, Balcom told authorities he had been selling marijuana from his vehicle outside Hooter’s at the Sarasota Pavilion, the report said. He insisted, however, that the cocaine did not belong to him.

Balcom was booked into the Sarasota County Jail on trafficking in cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of narcotic equipment charges. He was released on July 4 in lieu of $17,000 bond.

No further information is available at this time.

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Photos courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office