Molino Man Facing Felony, Misdemeanors After Being Caught With Drugs, Dollar General Shopping Basket

July 27, 2026

A Molino man is facing multiple charges, including a felony drug violation and a misdemeanor for possessing a Dollar General shopping basket, following a routine patrol encounter at a Pensacola convenience store early this month.

Matthew Wayne Flores, 50, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office after a deputy spotted him riding a bicycle through a local parking lot with an unusual accessory.

According to the arrest report, a deputy on uniformed patrol at the Circle K located at 330 Kenmore Road noticed a white male, later identified as Flores, riding a bicycle that had a yellow Dollar General shopping hand basket attached to the front handlebars. The deputy approached Flores on foot, informing him that it is illegal to be in possession of a clearly marked shopping basket off store property.

When asked for identification, Flores reportedly refused to comply. Despite multiple demands from the deputy, who advised Flores that he had a reasonable suspicion a crime had been committed, Flores continued to refuse to identify himself, the report states.

Flores was subsequently detained in handcuffs and placed in a patrol vehicle while law enforcement searched the hand basket, which contained his backpack and personal belongings. Inside the basket, the deputy discovered a green smoking product package containing a green leafy substance. A field test kit yielded a positive result for synthetic cannabinoids, weighing approximately 6 grams.

The incident took place directly across Pensacola Boulevard from a Dollar General location. According to the report, Flores spontaneously claimed that he had been given the shopping basket by the Dollar General in Molino, and alleged that the items found by the deputy would be “thrown out.”

The Dollar General shopping basket was photographed for evidence and returned to the retail store.

Flores was transported to the Escambia County Jail and booked on four charges: felony possession of a synthetic cannabinoid, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor resisting an officer without violence, and misdemeanor illegal possession of a shopping cart. He remained in jail with his bond set at $4,000.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT TOP