On June 5, 2020, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop of a U-Haul truck failing to stop at a stop sign at the corner of Tahitian Boulevard and Broadway West in Estero.
Deputies discussed the reason for the traffic stop with the driver and, during the course of that conversation, the nervous behaviors of the driver became disconcerting to the officers.
The driver, Silvilio Sosa, was asked if there were any illegal substances inside of the vehicle. Sosa’s hesitation prompted a request for consent to search the vehicle. That request was denied.
K9 Eli was dispatched and conducted a free-air sniff of the vehicle and the K9 indicated a presence of narcotics. This positive alert prompted a probable cause search.
Inside the vehicle, deputies discovered a white substance that tested positive for Fentanyl. Additionally, Sosa was in possession of Methamphetamine, Hydrocodone and Clobazam, a Benzodiazepine.
The passenger in the vehicle, Thomas Chapman, was found to be in possession of a baggie containing 22 individual packages. Following field-testing, Chapman was also found to be in possession of Fentanyl and Clobazam.
Both Silvilio Sosa (DOB 10-18-1980) and Thomas Willard Chapman, Jr. were arrested and charged accordingly.
