Pensacola man wanted for attempted homicide arrested on drug charges: ECSO

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. ( WKRG ) — A Pensacola man who had an active warrant for attempted homicide was arrested Wednesday on drug charges, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.

37-year-old Michael Anthony Watts Jr. was arrested on July 24 and charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (fentanyl) and possession of drug paraphernalia, News 5 has learned.

Watts had active warrants for his bond being revoked on trafficking narcotics and “other narcotic-related charges stemming from a narcotics investigation,” the arrest report said.

He also had active warrants for attempted homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for a July 9 shooting, according to the report.

On July 24, the ECSO Narcotics Unit reportedly was conducting surveillance of Watts at a hotel after receiving a tip he was there.

While there, Watts was seen walking to a pickup truck, and a deputy pinned the vehicle into place so it could not leave, according to the arrest report, the report said.

Watts was arrested, and a search of his person led deputies to allegedly find $175, two flip phones, and three hotel room keys.

The arrest report said a deputy and his K-9 partner were used, and the K-9 was able to positively alert to drugs on the truck.

Deputies searched the vehicle, where they found 30 grams of fentanyl, according to the report. In the hotel room, deputies reportedly found a smartphone, a digital scale, a bottle of mannitol, and a plastic bag with two pills later determined to be fentanyl.

A man and woman inside the car told deputies the fentanyl was not inside the car before Watts got in, according to officials.

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