GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A Florida man pleaded guilty this week to a possession of cocaine with intent charge connected to a 2023 traffic stop in Gulfport.

Darmarte Carlos Epps, 47, was sentenced to 28 years in prison without the possibility of early release or parole.

Officials said on February 14, 2023, a Harrison County deputy stopped Epps on I-10 in Gulfport for multiple traffic infractions. Deputies said due to his nervous behavior and other observations, a K9 unit came in to perform a sniff of the vehicle.

After a positive K9 alert, deputies conducted a probable cause search, where they found over 2 kilograms of cocaine from the rear cargo area of the vehicle. Epps was driving a rental vehicle from Houston, Texas, back to Tampa, Florida, at the time.

Epps was prosecuted as a habi

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