14‑Time Felon Arrested After Police Find Over 100 g of Cocaine in Sarasota Home

In the early hours of September 2, Sarasota police knocked on a door on the 3100 block of Old Bradenton Road and, after a search warrant was executed, uncovered a stash that would land a 58‑year‑old man back behind bars. The man, identified as Lashay A. Smith, is no stranger to the criminal justice system – he’s a 14‑time felon.

An anonymous tip had set the detectives on this particular address. When officers entered the house, Smith was the only occupant. Inside a bedroom they found 45.5 grams of crack cocaine, 56.1 grams of powder cocaine, ten morphine sulfate pills, 18 buprenorphine‑naloxone tablets, and even $793 in cash.

But the haul didn’t stop at the drugs themselves. Clear sandwich‑style bags, Ziploc‑type containers, a scale with cocaine residue, and razors that also bore traces of the substance were scattered around the home. Those items, detectives say, point to the packaging and distribution of the narcotics, not just personal use.

Smith was booked into the Sarasota County Jail, later posted a $26,000 bond, and now faces a battery of charges: trafficking in cocaine, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, keeping a dwelling for drug use, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

His criminal résumé is lengthy. Prior convictions range from weapons offenses and burglary to drug sales, possession, and driving with a suspended license. The latest arrest adds yet another chapter to a pattern that law‑enforcement officials say is all too familiar in the community.

While the investigation continues, the case serves as a reminder that anonymous tips can still spark major drug busts, and that even seasoned offenders aren’t immune to the long arm of the law.