By Shavonne Potts
shavonne.potts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A local man was issued a citation after an officer determined he had a suspended license, which led to drug-related offenses for his passengers.

A Salisbury police officer pulled in behind a Crown Victoria on June 13 while on East 11th Street and stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Long and Short streets. The officer determined the driver’s license was suspended.

The officer checked to determine if the driver had active warrants and requested a K-9 to sniff around the car to see if drugs were detected. The dog alerted on the passenger’s side door, said Detective Russ DeSantis.

The driver became argumentative and everyone in the vehicle was asked to get out. The officer patted down the four passengers and then searched the vehicle.

The officer found a black bag between the driver and passenger’s seat. The bag contained a vacuum-sealed bag of marijuana. Another black backpack was found in the vehicle with a plastic bag inside it that contained marijuana in a Mason jar. The bag also had a digital scale and a marijuana grinder inside. A 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol was found in the glove box.

DeSantis said as other officers began to arrive, motorists began to stop and became verbally aggressive toward the officers.

The driver, Nyrobi Mason, 29, of East Spencer, was issued a citation at the scene for driving while license revoked.

Shaheem Mason, 28, of Salisbury, who was a passenger, was issued a citation at the scene for possession of a controlled substance schedule VI and carrying a concealed weapon. According to DeSantis, Mason admitted the marijuana belonged to him. He initially said the gun belonged to a friend who left it in the vehicle, but later admitted it belonged to him.

Another passenger, Elijah Delarosa, 19, of Salisbury, was issued a criminal summons for possession of a controlled substance schedule VI and possession of an open container. The officer found beer in the vehicle. Delarosa reported to the Salisbury Police Department on Thursday and was served with the criminal summons.

DeSantis said Delarosa admitted the marijuana in the backpack belonged to him.