According to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr., just before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday (05/28/2025), a police officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Highway Interdiction Unit stopped a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV for following too closely and failing to maintain the lane of travel.
The officer ran a data search and discovered that the driver was wanted by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office for sexual battery on a minor and child molestation.
Yohan Ponce Riera, 39, of Ocala, Florida, was taken into custody.
Officers discovered 16 kilos of cocaine and 50 pounds of meth in a cooler and suitcase inside the vehicle.
Federal charges are pending with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“I commend the outstanding work of our officers for the quick and decisive arrest of a dangerous suspect traveling through our area. These police officers also seized a significant amount of narcotics that will never threaten our communities now.”
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department continues to work tirelessly to locate and prosecute those involved in narcotics trafficking.