An officer on patrol in suburban Virginia Gardens last week noticed "the distinct and unique odor of unburnt cannabis" coming from a parked 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis. Like any good weed-smelling cop, he stopped to investigate.
In the driver's seat, he found 23-year-old Luke Bray, a redshirt senior on the 2013-14 FIU soccer team. And in the back, sitting openly in Ziploc bags, was nearly two pounds of marijuana.
The soccer player's troubles went down last Wednesday, according to a police report obtained by Riptide.
After an officer "attempted to make contact" with Bray, he saw, in plain sight, the bags full of weed. Bray was promptly arrested and the car later towed.
The officer confiscated a total of seven bags from Bray's car containing a total of 860 grams of marijuana -- just shy of two pounds. The officer also confiscated nearly $2,100 in cash, including 103 twenty-dollar bills.
Photos from the arrest show the car contained a brown paper Whole Foods bag with a plastic container inside, which was not confiscated.
Bray is listed on the Panthers' soccer roster as a 5' 9" defender originally from Weston. Last season the Panthers went 6-10-1 with Bray on the roster, although his individual statistics for the year were not listed online. A spokesman for FIU's athletics department did not respond to a request for comment from Riptide.
Bray was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession with intent to sell. In Florida both charges are felonies carrying maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
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