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A Wildwood man already on probation has been arrested after a large quantity of marijuana obviously meant for sale was found at his home.
Officers and members of the Florida State Probation Office responded to the home of 25-year-old Marlon Dequan Underwood on Lemon Street around 6:25 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. The aim of the operation was to ensure compliance with probationary rules and regulations, as he had been put on probation in September 2024 for driving with a revoked license.
Upon their arrival, Underwood was detained with a large amount of cash folded in his front right pocket along with two cellphones. This discovery indicated he was possibly selling and distributing narcotics, something he was known to do. So, the officers proceeded to search his room and any common areas he may have had access to, the report said.
Underwood became increasingly nervous as time passed, beginning to sweat in the cool weather with no direct sunlight. An officer grew suspicious as he told his family he loved them. He then began showing signs of guilt, such as saying he was “going away” and that he was going to miss them, the report said.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement found a large black vacuum-sealed bag of marijuana in his room. It had been poorly hidden under several blankets beneath his bed, and it seemed to have been sealed by hand. Also in the room was a small cardboard box with more money on the top shelf of the closet, the report said.
The search continued into the garage where officers found a light blue backpack inside a medium-sized deep freezer. It contained numerous small pre-packaged bags of marijuana, a scale with an unknown residue, Ziploc-style baggies and an unknown yellowish substance in the side pocket. All of these things were consistent with the distribution of marijuana, the report said.
The contraband was later taken to the Wildwood Police Department where it was properly weighed, packaged and submitted into evidence. Of the 14 baggies found in the backpack, they weighed a total of 204.46 grams of marijuana. The vacuum-sealed bag in the bedroom came out to 452.70 grams of marijuana. This brought the combined weight to 657.16 grams without packaging, the report said.
Additionally, the yellowish substance in the backpack tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 82.12 grams, the report said.
Underwood was subsequently arrested on charges of violation of probation, possession of methamphetamine (14 grams or more), distribute marijuana and possession of marijuana (over 20 grams). He was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center to be held without bond for violating his probation.