A Homestead man taking classes at a Florida Keys college to become a certified police officer was arrested on campus on felony drug charges Thursday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Alexis Ramirez, 23, faces two counts of felony marijuana possession and two misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession charges.
According to his arrest report, deputies and detectives found 120 grams, or about 4 ounces, of marijuana in his car that was parked at the Key Largo campus of The College of the Florida Keys. Police also found 60 plastic small plastic bags they say can be used to package marijuana for sale and a digital scale.
Detective Ignacio Molina wrote in his report that Ramirez was arrested after several of his classmates reported they had seen him smoke marijuana in his car, his car often had a strong odor emanating from the inside and he was known to vape in the classroom.
People who finish the basic law enforcement class at the Keys college are certified law enforcement officers and often get hired by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office or the city of Key West’s police department. Some cadets are even sponsored by those departments.
But Adam Linhardt, spokesman for the sheriff’s office stressed that Ramirez was not affiliated with the agency.
Nevertheless, Sheriff Rick Ramsay issued a statement saying he’s relieved Ramirez was arrested before he could become a cop.
“I want to thank those who came forward in this case, which led to this man’s arrest before he became a law enforcement officer,” Ramsay said.
The arrest report indicates Ramirez was a promising student and was his class’ “captain.”
Molina met Ramirez in class Thursday evening, according to his report, and asked him to step outside. He asked for and received permission from Ramirez to search his car. A deputy and the class instructor, a city of Homestead police officer, helped with the search.
On the walk to the car, Ramirez “spontaneously uttered” that he had a Glock 9 mm pistol in the car and a marijuana grinder “he used before starting the Police Academy,” Molina said. There was a gun inside the glove compartment, as well as 18 bullets.
The gun was “clear” with “no record,” Molina said, so Ramirez is not facing a weapons charge.
Molina said in the report that as soon as he opened the car door, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana. The drugs were found in a large black and clear bag located on the floorboard behind the front seat of the car, Molina said.
Ramirez remained in county jail Friday evening with no bond information immediately available. Information about his legal counsel was also not immediately known.