OPCPD Traffic Stop Leads To 3 Arrests For Crack Cocaine

On September 26, 2012, at approximately 2:35 p.m. Ocean City Police patrol officers stopped a 2002 Nissan Altima with three occupants for a traffic violation in the area of 62^nd Street and Coastal Highway.  During the course of the traffic stop, the officers observed two occupants of the vehicle shoving an unknown object under the front seats.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Larry Dennell Floyd, Jr., 30, of Berlin.  During the traffic stop, officers checked the status of Floyd’s driver’s license and determined he was suspended.  During further investigation, officers identified the front passenger of the vehicle as Marty Edward Tankard, Jr., 33 of Berlin and a rear seat passenger as Joel Lamont Lankford, 40, of Nanticoke, Maryland.  In addition, officers determined the object being shoved under the seats was an empty beer bottle. 

While officers were checking under the front seat of the vehicle, they observed a white powdery substance they suspected to be crack cocaine.  Officers also recovered additional suspected crack cocaine from the front and rear passenger seats.  Police subsequently arrested Floyd for driving on a suspended license and Tankard and Lankford for possession of crack cocaine. 

During the arrest process, Floyd became uncooperative and would not open his mouth.  Officer suspected Floyd was concealing illegal drugs in his mouth and at which point Floyd attempted to swallow the items.   Officers attempted to get Floyd to spit the items out of his mouth, however, Floyd continued to refuse and resist arrest.  Due to the level of resistance Floyd was exhibiting and the concern that he was attempting to swallow life-threatening drug contraband, officers deployed a TASER/ECD and delivered one drive-stun to Floyd’s back to gain compliance.

Floyd immediately spit out the contents of his mouth, which was determined by officers to be a large quantity of suspected crack cocaine.  As a precautionary measure, Floyd was taken by OC EMS to Atlantic General Hospital for exposure to ECD and possible CDS consumption.  Floyd was evaluated and subsequently released from the hospital in Ocean City Police custody. 

• Larry Dennell Floyd, Jr. was charged with:
• Driving on a suspended Maryland License.
• Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substance (crack cocaine).
• Possession of Paraphernalia.
• Possession of CDS with the Intent to Distribute (crack cocaine).
• Resisting Arrest.
• Obstructing and Hindering Arrest.
• Various Traffic Offences (Tickets).
• Marty Edward Tankard, Jr. was charged with:
  • Possession of CDS (crack cocaine).
  • Possession of an Open Container of Alcoholic Beverage in public.
• Joel Lamont Lankford was charged with:
  • Possession of CDS (crack cocaine).

All three suspects were seen by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner, Lankford and Tankard were released on their own recognizance.  Floyd was release after posting a $25,000 bond.

Ocean City Police Dept. Press Release