BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – A Brooksville man is facing multiple felony drug charges after a traffic stop led to the discovery of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
On February 27, 2025, an HCSO deputy conducting proactive patrol in the California Street area of Brooksville initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle with an inoperable taillight.
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The driver, identified as Barak Bleich, 47, was contacted by Deputy D. Barlow. During the stop, K-9 Deputy J. Arnold and his K-9 partner Odin arrived on the scene. Odin was deployed to conduct a drug sniff of the vehicle, and he immediately alerted to the odor of narcotics.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a Crown Royal bag behind the center console containing a crystallized rock substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. A cigarette box within the bag concealed a white powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl. Additionally, a pill container was found with a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine, as well as two additional baggies of fentanyl.
Deputies also discovered a glass jar containing a white pill identified as Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim, a prescription medication. Various items of drug paraphernalia were also found inside the vehicle.
Bleich was arrested at the scene and charged with Trafficking in Fentanyl, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Prescription Drug without a Prescription, and Possession of Paraphernalia.
He was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center and is being held on a $12,000 bond.
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