An Atmore man with a long rap sheet is free on $20,000 bail after being booked into the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail last week on drug charges.

Charton Orlando Jones, 24, of 705 E. Ridgeley Street was taken into custody by Pensacola Police last Tuesday, Jan. 30 on Cervantes Street after officers responded to a narcotics complaint.

According to the arrest report, an officer observed Jones, along with another man later identified as Walter Williams, standing in front of the T&C Food Mart, which was described as a “known narcotics area.” According to the officer, “dealers often stand outside the front of the store and sell narcotics to persons approaching the store on foot and in vehicles.”

According to the report, Jones and Williams stood in front of the store for several minutes, never entering to make a purchase, before leaving the area on foot. When approached by an officer in a marked police vehicle, Jones “turned his body to hide his right side and his right hand.”

Suspecting Jones had a weapon, the officer reported demanding he put his hands where they could be seen, at which point Jones tossed small items into a nearby drainage ditch.

After placing Jones and Williams in handcuffs, two clear plastic baggies were found in the ditch, one of which contained crack cocaine, while the other contained powdered cocaine, according to the arrest report.

The arresting officer said the bags contained a total of 2.5 grams of crack cocaine and 7.5 grams of powdered cocaine.

According to the report, Jones told officers he “bought the powder cocaine and the crack cocaine from the T&C Food Mart.”

Jones was transported to the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail and charged with two felonies: Possession of cocaine in the second degree; possession of cocaine in the third degree.