Couple arrested for illegal possession of drugs, guns
NOKOMIS — The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Lesley and Mark Blaney, of the 100 block of S. Orange Grove, Nokomis, after learning they were trading prescription drugs for guns.
Lesley, 47, is a convicted felon on supervised probation, and during a search of her home Thursday, her probation officer located two firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a switchblade knife, the SCSO reported. Deputies found both the 9 mm Smith and Wesson and Century Arms AK-74 assault rifle had loaded magazines and were unsecured in a bedroom. The search also turned up a pill bottle containing rock cocaine, a separate canister with Suboxone and pieces of drug paraphernalia, which Mark, 50, admitted were his, a report shows. Lesley Blaney, who has been arrested more than a dozen times, is charged as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Mark Blaney is charged with possession of imitation controlled substance, possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were taken to the Sarasota County Jail.