PORT CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte County Sheriff’s Street Crimes Unit deputy made a traffic stop on a pickup truck Thursday. The driver was wanted along with two 17-year-olds in a Punta Gorda Police Department gun and jewelry theft case. The driver was Gerald Bradford Foster, 18, of the 4400 block of Belfountain Street, Port Charlotte. A search of his pickup located a container on the front seat that contained three plastic baggies of marijuana, and two baggies of Ecstacy. Also in the container was $185 in cash. Foster was arrested and taken to the Charlotte County Jail. He was also additionally charged on Punta Gorda Police charges. The PGPD case began Feb. 17 when officers were called to a home in the 7400 block of South Seagrape Road. The victim said three rings and three shotguns were stolen, and he suspected his runaway granddaughter, Alyssa Nicole Coulthard, 17, who had been staying with them. After she ran away, she was found staying with Nicholas Anthony Zepeda, 17, at his mother’s home in Port Charlotte. The PGPD detectives learned that Coulthard talked Foster and Zepeda into burglarizing her grandparents’ home and were to steal whatever they could. Foster drove them to the home when the grandparents were away, and stole the rings and shotguns. Two shotguns were sold and Foster kept one of them, which was recovered. The report said Zepeda disposed of the rings.

CCSO charged Foster with possession of Ecstacy with intent to distribute, possession of Ecstacy, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster remains in the Charlotte County Jail on $34,500 bond.