Westport Police arrest New Bedford man on drug charges after having no inspection sticker

A motor vehicle infraction turned into big trouble for a New Bedford man this week in Westport.

According to Westport Police, on Wednesday at approximately 1:21 a.m., Officer Jean Lopez observed an Acura MDX traveling westbound on State Road. A query of the vehicle’s registration revealed it to have no inspection sticker. Officer Lopez then conducted a motor vehicle stop.

The operator was identified as 31-year-old Nathaniel Duarte-Souto of Ivy Road, New Bedford. Duarte-Souto told Officer Lopez his license was suspended. The officer observed Duarte-Souto to have a fanny pack buckled across his chest while also having his seatbelt buckled. Officer Lopez confirmed this information and noted Duarte Souto had been stopped multiple times in the past and found to be operating with a suspended license.

Dartmouth Police arrest T-Mobile employee Nathaniel Duarte-Souto for identity fraud and larceny

When the officer returned to the vehicle, Duarte-Souto had removed the fanny pack and had it on the driver’s seat. Officer Lopez asked Duarte-Souto to step out of the vehicle and placed him under arrest for Operation of a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License. After placing Duarte-Souto in the secure area of his cruiser, Officer Lopez went back to the vehicle to retrieve Duarte-Souto’s belongings when he was alerted to a digital scale in the driver’s door of the vehicle.

When the officer grabbed the fanny pack, he observed two prescription bottles located inside. After viewing these prescription bottles, he realized they were not in Duarte-Souto’s name and contained the name of two different females. One bottle contained Suboxone and the other contained Adderall. There were also loose Adderall pills located outside of the sealed bottle within the fanny pack.

Duarte-Souto was charged with Operation of a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License (Subsequent Offense) and two counts of Possession of Class B Drug (Adderall and Suboxone).