Cleveland County Deputies Seize Pot, Arrest Two Suspects

News9.com

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Cleveland County sheriff's deputies arrested two men and seized $17,000 worth of marijuana early Thursday morning at a convenience store parking lot in Norman.

Jose Luis Perez Peratia, 46, of Yuba City, Calif., and Freddy L. Ivery, 45, of Moore, were both charged Thursday afternoon in Cleveland County District Court with unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

The Cleveland County sheriff reported the arrests and drug seizure came after a deputy noticed a vehicle parked in the Thunder Shell Food Mart parking lot, 10750 E. State Highway 9, around 12 a.m. Thursday. The store was closed for business.

The deputy stopped to check on the vehicle and saw it was occupied by three people. During contact, the deputy noted a clear plastic drinking cup in the vehicle's front console. The cup was partially filled with liquid, and the deputy noted marijuana floating in the cup, the sheriff's report said.

The report went on to state that the occupants consented to a search of the vehicle and the deputy found a black bag containing approximately five pounds of marijuana.

Peratia reportedly confessed to investigators that the bag belonged to him.  He further admitted to conspiring with Ivery to sell the marijuana to an associate of Ivery.

Deputies also seized $670 during the arrests.

The third occupant, a woman, was released at the scene.