Two passengers arrested after deputies recover suspected fentanyl and cash near Crestview stop
Okaloosa County, Florida – A traffic stop in Crestview turned into a wider investigation earlier this week after Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two passengers and recovered suspected fentanyl, cash, and a modified handgun.
According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the stop began near Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and South Lloyd Street, where deputies said they saw a traffic violation involving a gray Chevrolet Equinox. What started as a routine stop quickly changed as the vehicle slowed down. According to the sheriff’s office, two passengers jumped out and ran from the scene, while the driver left the area in the vehicle.
Deputies chased the two passengers on foot and were able to take both into custody after a short pursuit. The situation did not end there. As the investigation continued, deputies recovered a backpack that was allegedly carried by one of the fleeing passengers.
Inside the backpack, deputies found about 39 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl. They also recovered around $2,400 in cash and a Glock 17 handgun. Authorities said the firearm was fitted with a “switch,” an illegal machine gun conversion device that can allow a semi-automatic weapon to fire as a fully automatic weapon. The handgun was also equipped with a 30-round magazine.
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The discovery added serious weight to the case, turning a traffic stop into a drug and weapons investigation. Fentanyl trafficking remains a major concern for law enforcement because even small amounts of the drug can be extremely dangerous. The presence of a firearm with a conversion device also raises additional public safety concerns, especially because such devices are illegal and can dramatically increase a weapon’s firing capability.
One of the suspects, Nassir Wright, was charged with Trafficking in Fentanyl, Possession of a Machine Gun, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.
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The second passenger, Christopher Rogers, was charged with Resisting an Officer Without Violence.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active. Officials have not released additional details about the driver or whether more arrests or charges could follow.
