What happened: A moped with no lights, an aggressive dog named JoJo, and an excuse about "naked photos" led to a major substance bust in West Palm Beach on Thursday.
Background: a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office pulled over 39-year-old Michael Christopher Giannotti after spotting him riding an unregistered moped in total darkness—swerving near traffic without working headlights or taillights. Deputies say Giannotti admitted he shouldn't be riding, confessed his license had been suspended "for years," and claimed he had owned the moped for about a year after getting it from someone named "Desmond".
But as deputies prepared to arrest him for the traffic violations, Giannotti desperately tried to keep them out of his backpack. He claimed he didn't want deputies looking inside because it contained "naked photos of him".
Deputies searched the bag anyway—and found zero photo albums. Instead, they uncovered a glasses case stuffed with 14 grams of crystal Methamp, a small plastic tube containing a gram of Fent tucked into capsules, and substance paraphernalia.
When deputies searched Giannotti himself, they found another glass pipe in his pocket and noted a blue coating on his tongue consistent with recent Methamp use. The arrest hit a brief pause when Giannotti's dog, "JoJo," became aggressive toward the deputies on scene.
Deputies allowed Giannotti to wait on a nearby bench while arrangements were made for his mother to safely pick up the dog.
The available details are limited to the information verified at publication time. Readers should expect updates as the matter develops.
Any person identified in connection with an alleged offense is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Source: official sources including CBS12 News.
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