A 35-year-old Ocala was arrested after a deputy found him holding fentanyl and a used syringe in the bathroom cubicle.

At around 1:00 AM on Thursday, December 2, a deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Rodeway Inn on E Silver Springs Boulevard in Silver Springs and mentioned a man taking drugs in the lobby bathroom.

The deputy police officer entered the men's room and observed a man in the cubicle closest to the door, who was later identified as Justin James Cole. A used syringe was placed on the bathroom floor in front of his feet.

According to the MCSO report, the deputy police officer observed Cole picking up the syringe and placing it in the front right pocket of his pants. Cole stood up, and his deputy saw a small blue zippered box falling to the ground. Cole picked it up.

When Cole left the booth, the deputy sheriff took him to the patrol car outside for an interview.

Cole initially said his name was "James Michael Humphreys." The deputy asked about his date of birth. He admitted that his real name was Justin James Cole and provided his identification.

A computer search revealed that Cole had two felony arrest warrants in Marion County. He was handcuffed and searched, and his deputy took out the used syringe from his pocket.

Another MCSO deputy found the blue zipper box from the bathroom cubicle. In the box there is a silver metal spoon with a white substance on it, and a syringe with dried blood on it.

The white substance later tested positive for fentanyl in the field.

Cole admitted to his deputy that this case was his, and he claimed that he used this case to store his insulin. When asked about the spoon found inside, he was quiet and refused to answer any further questions.

Cole was arrested and sent to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held with a deposit of $9,000. He faces felony charges of possession of drugs and misdemeanor charges for drug paraphernalia, as well as providing false names to law enforcement officials.

According to prison records, the court date is set at 9 a.m. on January 4, 2022.