6 traffic stops, 6 mugshots: This guy would’ve spent much less time behind bars if he only drove better

6 traffic stops, 6 mugshots: This guy would’ve spent much less time behind bars if he only drove better

TAVARES, Fla. – They say it’s not the crime but the cover-up, or attempted cover-up in this case, that led to a convicted felon’s latest arrest. It’s one of six that started with a traffic stop.

A police sergeant in Florida on patrol in Florida on Christmas Eve day saw “a red Chevy Malibu traveling the same direction with the trunk open, and large miscellaneous scrap metal strapped in the trunk opening,” the arrest report said. “Due to the trunk being open, the license plate was facing the sky, and unreadable.”

First, the cop reported he “pulled beside the vehicle and observed the driver to be Shawn Briggs, known to [the cop] due to previous law enforcement encounters. [The cop] had previous knowledge that Shawn had an active Lake County warrant.”

Then, the cop got back “behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.”

He wrote about walking to the passenger side, talking to Briggs’ passenger, and noticing “a shoulder strap bag in between his legs. [The cop] asked Shawn for consent to search the vehicle, to which he denied.”

That didn’t stop this officer, or any of the others. Briggs probably should’ve known, considering his previous traffic stops which ended with him under arrest.

The cop called for a K9 officer and confirmed the active warrant. Then, Briggs was detained and put in another officer’s car.

“It should be noted,” the officer wrote, “that when Shawn exited the driver’s side of the vehicle, he made a furtive movement towards the undercarriage of the car.

“After [the other officer] placed Shawn in his vehicle, you walked towards the vehicle and observed a glass smoking pipe with burnt residue on the road where Shawn exited the vehicle. [The cop] immediately reviewed body cam and confirmed that the pipe was not there when Shawn exited the vehicle, and he in fact tried to conceal it when making the aforementioned furtive movement. The pipe was collected as evidence.”

6 traffic stops, 6 mugshots: This guy would’ve spent much less time behind bars if he only drove better
Shawn Matthew Briggs was arrested (from left) in 2019, and for drugs in 2020, twice in 2021, 2023, and 2024. (Lake Co. Sheriff’s Office)

Finally, the K9 deputy conducted “a free air sniff” and “positively indicated to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle,” the arrest report said.

It continued with the results of a search, saying “a pill bottle with two white rock-like pieces of crack cocaine, a sandwich bag containing a clear crystalline substance, and a zip top bag with apparent marijuana” were found in the bag between the passenger’s legs.

It said there was also “a phone in the same bag that narcotics were located in,” and the passenger “confirmed it was” his.

Both driver and passenger were arrested.

Briggs had a similar situation two days before Thanksgiving. He drove away from a convenience store but “failed to come to a complete stop behind the white painted stop bar” on his way out of the parking lot, the case report said.

A cop pulled him over and, “while Shawn was gathering the registration and insurance information, I asked if I could search his vehicle, which he denied.”

The officer responded by having K9 Bruce “perform an open air sniff around the vehicle. K9 Bruce subsequently alerted to the vehicle, which a probable cause search was then granted.”

Authorities reported finding a glass smoking pipe “under the center console. It should be noted the center console was lifted up from the driver’s side floorboard, which is when the pipe fell out from the console. The pipe had burnt residue inside and was later tested, revealing presumptive positive results for cocaine.”

This encounter could’ve ended worse.

“Shawn was issued a notice to appear citation for the paraphernalia found.” He was not arrested. Briggs pleaded not guilty and only got a written warning for the traffic violation.

In June 2023, Briggs was pulled over for pulling a trailer with no license plate attached.

“The driver provided the trailer license plate, which was inside his truck,” along with “his license, registration, and proof of insurance.”

But while the cop “was providing dispatch with his information, [a K9 corporal] walked his K9 partner Hulk around the vehicle [and] informed me of a positive alert, giving probable cause to search.”

Authorities reported finding “a plastic container in the center console. The lid to the container stated, ‘Just THC Peach Rings 1,000 mg per package.’ On the back, it clearly states, ‘CAUTION: THIS IS NOT CBD.’ Inside were several peach ring gummies.”

Those gummies “tested positive for a high THC content” and “Shawn admitted to possession of the THC gummies,” the arrest report said.

Shawn Matthew Briggs’ Sentence, Nov. 2, 2023 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd

Briggs was arrested for possession of THC gummies, a controlled substance without a prescription. Almost five months later, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to time served in jail, which was only three hours from the time he was booked to his release in lieu of $2,000 bond.

In December 2021, Briggs was pulled over “after approximately two minutes” in a motel parking lot with a man who’d walked out of a room there. He apparently didn’t “come to a complete stop” at a stop sign.

“Briggs admitted to stopping at the motel and making contact with a [man] by the name of ‘Ricky Bobby,’” the arrest report said, noting “multiple complaints about a male by the name of ‘Ricky Bobby’ selling crack cocaine out of his motel room.

“Briggs stated he was scraping and picked up an old AC unit from ‘Ricky Bobby,’” the officer continued. “While speaking with Briggs, I observed him light up a cigarette and observed [his passenger’s] leg continuously shaking. I asked Briggs if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle and he stated no. I asked Briggs if he would consent to a search of the vehicle, which he denied.”

Mya (left, undated) and Hulk (July 21, 2021) were among the K9 officers called in to sniff after Shawn Matthew Briggs was pulled over and suspected of having illegal drugs. (Eustis Police Dept.) 

What happened next was no mystery. The K9’s name was Mya.

According to the arrest report, Briggs “admitted to the ownership of both crack pipes,” “stated he did not know of any crack cocaine in the vehicle,” and “did admit to occasionally smoking crack cocaine.”

Briggs was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Then, three weeks later, prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges. 

Briggs was also arrested after a traffic stop on Feb. 3, 2021. Again, he “stopped at the intersection; however, the vehicle traveled over and passed the stop bar prior to stopping.”

Then, “Mr. Briggs failed to provide me with the proper proof his vehicle registration. Mr. Briggs provided me with a piece of paper, but the paper was not the vehicle registration.”

Along came another officer with his K9, who “alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle,” the arrest report said.

Briggs ended up facing four charges: possession of methamphetamine, possession of clonazepam, possession of a small amount of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Sixteen days later, he changed his not guilty pleas to no contest, and was sentenced to 120 days in jail with 16 days credit for time served, plus more than $1,000 in fees and costs.

Also this time, he got tickets rather than warnings for failure to obey a traffic device and failure to have his registration.

But a week into his stay in jail, Briggs was served a warrant for possession of cocaine, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

The affidavit said five days before his arrest, on Jan. 29, 2021, “the vehicle only had one operating brake light,” and Briggs was pulled over.

Then, the detective “asked Mr. Briggs for consent to search the vehicle, which was denied.”

So, the detective “immediately requested a K9 over the radio and while awaiting the response, Mr. Briggs advised [the detective] he had a ‘bowl’ in the truck and showed it.”

The affidavit made no mention of a K9 ever showing up, but the detective searched, “items were collected and placed into evidence,” and, “Due to the possibility of Mr. Briggs providing the Tavares Police Department assistance, no charges were immediately filed and Mr. Briggs was cleared from the traffic stop with a verbal warning for the equipment violation.”

Unfortunately for Briggs, three days later, “On 02/01/21, it was found that Mr. Briggs was out on bond for a prior narcotics charge,” so he couldn’t assist and the charges were filed.

The ammunition charge was for a Federal .380 bullet the detective reported finding on the center console.

Briggs ended up arrested two days later after another traffic stop. In this case, he ended up pleading no contest and was sentenced to 120 days in jail with credit for 23 days served. 

Apparently, Briggs’ brake light was out for months. He was pulled over for that on Oct. 10, 2020, and then found “not wearing his seatbelt,” the arrest report said.

“I asked all subjects,” Briggs and his two passengers, the officer reported, “if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle, and all advised no. I asked if anyone had a medical marijuana card, or smoked hemp. [Briggs and one passenger] stated no, but [the other] said he smoked marijuana about an hour ago. I asked Briggs if he would consent to a search of the vehicle and he replied ‘no.’ I informed all subjects that I was a K9 handler and I was going to deploy my K9 partner, Mya, around the vehicle. I observed all the occupants to become increasingly nervous and began smoking cigarettes.

Briggs ended up charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail with 12 days credit for time served. 

Briggs faced different charges in July 2019: grand theft $300 to $5,000, burglary, and theft of a credit card with intent to use it or give it to someone else. 

The alleged victim told an officer, “She had walked out of her house to her car, this morning, to find that the doors were unlocked and items were missing from the interior.”

Then, she said, “Her bank had sent her text messages advising that ‘suspicious transactions’ had been made,” including two at gas stations and one at a McDonald’s.

Going to McDonald’s, specifically the drive-thru, was apparently Briggs’ mistake.

The restaurant manager gave the victim “a time stamped receipt indicating a use of her Wells Fargo credit card,” so the officer followed her there and got “security footage from her drive-thru window.

“In the footage,” the officer wrote in the affidavit, “I observed a burgundy Chevy / GMC style pickup truck approach the window at 07:35 hours, the driver paid for his meal with a credit card, and was handed the same items that had been listed on the receipt: two meals, a biscuit, and two chocolate milks.”

Later that same day, the victim told another officer “a burgundy / maroon GMC style pickup truck was” parked a block away from her home, and the other officer “advised that he is familiar with the subject who” lives there, Shawn Briggs. 

His face, from Facebook and the police computer, matched the guy in the McDonald’s video.

Briggs was arrested a week later and spent 12 days in jail. By November, prosecutors had decided not to pursue the charges.

This latest time, Briggs, 57, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted destruction of evidence. He was released after six days in jail in lieu of $3,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty and is due to be arraigned on Jan. 22.

He only got a warning for the obscured license plate. The car was towed.


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