Sonora, CA…Just before midnight on Saturday, 21-year-old Xavier Benzel of Sonora drove into the parking lot of AM/PM on Pesce Way in Sonora. Deputy Knapp happened to be in the same parking lot and knew Benzel had a warrant for his arrest for driving on a suspended driver’s license.

He waited for Benzel to exit the store before placing him under arrest. The passenger of the silver Ford Fusion was identified as 18-year-old Taylor Morse of San Andreas.

Deputy Knapp deployed his partner, K9 Maverick, to conduct a sniff on the exterior of the vehicle. K9 Maverick alerted to presence of narcotics and a search of the car was conducted. The search turned up approximately 6.5 grams of cocaine packaged in three separate bags, a digital scale, packaging materials, and just under $500 cash in various denominations.

Benzel and Morse were transported and booked into the Tuolumne County Jail.

Morse was booked for possession of a controlled substance and concealing evidence.

Benzel was booked for driving on a suspended license, transportation and possession of a controlled substance for sale, concealing evidence, and for his warrant.