Key West Man Tells Cops He Didn't Think Cocaine Was Illegal in Florida
He was charged with cocaine possession and tampering with evidence.
Feb. 28, 2014 — -- A Florida man remains in jail without bond today after telling police he didn't know cocaine was illegal in the state.
Key West police officers arrested Guy Lanchester on Duval Street last Sunday. A security officer for the Pier House resort saw him and two others acting suspiciously and called police, according to an arrest affidavit.
When officers arrived, they found Lanchester, 46, and the two others near a parking lot. As the officers approached, Lanchester walked behind a flower pot and began fumbling with a small, plastic baggie containing a white, powdery substance, the arresting officer wrote.
When the officer walked up to Lanchester to see what he was doing, he shoved his hands into the dirt inside the flower pot, leaving the baggie behind, according to the arrest affidavit. The white powder later tested positive for cocaine.
Upon his arrival at jail, Lanchester reportedly told officers, "I don't understand ... I thought cocaine wasn't illegal in Florida."
Lanchester has been charged with cocaine possession and tampering with evidence, police said.