Seatbelt Stop Leads to Drug Trafficking Arrest

NEWBERRY – A 23-year-old Newberry man was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, for possession of marijuana with intent to sell. The defendant is on probation and is also facing charges of drug and marijuana possession from a traffic stop by another officer on Oct. 19.

At about 4:37 p.m., an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a gray Nissan Altima traveling east on Northwest 1^st Avenue. The stop was made because the officer noted that the two occupants were not wearing seatbelts. The deputy noted an “overwhelming” smell of marijuana coming from the driver, Darius Dwayne Stackhouse, Jr., and the vehicle, but Stackhouse reportedly refused to consent to a search of the vehicle.

A K-9 alerted to contraband in the vehicle, and a probable cause search reportedly produced 45 grams of marijuana, a scale and five doses of Buprenorphine strips, a controlled substance.

The defendant is also on active probation for narcotics and firearms charges. All items were located in the center console of the vehicle, which is registered to Stackhouse. The arresting officer also reported that the defendant stated he had smoke marijuana prior to the stop.

Post Miranda, Stackhouse reportedly declined to answer any questions. He was arrested and charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and violation of probation.

The Oct. 19 traffic stop was on the same vehicle at about 10:08 a.m., for a stop bar violation. That deputy described Stackhouse as a “known drug dealer” and a convicted felon who is on probation for selling marijuana. While on probation, he is prohibited from possessing alcohol or illegal drugs.

The deputy reported the odor of unburnt marijuana coming from the vehicle, and when asked if he had any marijuana, Stackhouse reportedly said there was a small “roach” in the driver’s side door. The deputy noted that Stackhouse has a medical marijuana card, but the marijuana was not in the proper packaging. A probable cause search reportedly produced about 0.3 grams of unburnt marijuana in the driver’s side door and a pill bottle with 11 pills of dextroamphetamine that were not prescribed to Stackhouse.

Stackhouse has been charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, marijuana-possession with intent to sell manufacture or deliver schedule I, and drug equipment-possession and or use.

Stackhouse has juvenile convictions between 2015 and 2020, two adult felony convictions and five adult misdemeanor convictions. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2022. He is on probation for selling marijuana and is facing the charges from the Oct. 19 incident.

Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail until the probation violation case is resolved. She also set bail at $85,000 on the new charges.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com