He was found driving a stolen car; now he faces drug charges too, cops say

A Sarasota man who was found in a stolen car Tuesday night is facing additional drug-related charges after officials found about 23 grams of methamphetamine.

George Dunn, 35, of 4502 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, grand theft auto and possession of narcotics equipment after deputies found meth, needles, a pipe and scale in the car, according to a release from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to a parking lot in the 3600 block of Bee Ridge Road shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday after a report of loitering in the area, the release stated.

Deputies searched the license plate of the vehicle Dunn was sitting in and found it to be stolen out of Manatee County, according to the release. Dunn was arrested and the vehicle searched.

Inside a backpack, deputies reportedly found 22.7 grams of meth, needles, a pipe and a scale.

Dunn told officials he was using the wireless internet of a nearby business. He is currently being held in the Sarasota County Jail without bond, according to the release.

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 2:26 PM with the headline "He was found driving a stolen car; now he faces drug charges too, cops say."