A traffic stop over an improper license plate on North 56th Street near East Busch Boulevard in Temple Terrace ended with a 43-year-old man facing multiple felony charges after deputies say they found cocaine, drug paraphernalia, a handcuff key, ammunition and a gold-plated rifle inside his car. Carlois Hill, described by investigators as a three-time convicted felon, was arrested just before 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies pulled Hill over for the plate violation and quickly discovered he was driving with no valid license. The agency’s post notes that Hill has three prior convictions for driving while license suspended, a history that carries its own legal weight. Under Florida Statute § 322.34, a driver with two or more prior convictions from specified major traffic violations who is caught driving on a suspended or revoked license can face a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to Online Sunshine.
A three-time convicted felon has been arrested following a traffic stop after deputies discovered cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.On September 2, 2026, just before 7 p.m., #teamHCSO deputies stopped a vehicle on North 56th Street near East Busch Boulevard in Temple… pic.twitter.com/whVS9ubZfV
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) September 3, 2026
The search of Hill’s vehicle turned up far more than an expired license. Deputies reported finding cocaine and drug paraphernalia, along with a concealed handcuff key, ammunition, and a gold-plated rifle. Possession of cocaine in any amount is a third-degree felony in Florida under Statute § 893.13, carrying up to five years in prison, five years of probation, a $5,000 fine and a mandatory two-year driver’s license suspension, per Online Sunshine. The paraphernalia charge is a separate, lesser offense — a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statute § 893.147, punishable by up to a year in county jail and a $1,000 fine.
A Handcuff Key and a Felon’s Gun Exposure
The presence of a concealed handcuff key adds a distinct legal wrinkle to Hill’s case. Florida Statute § 843.021 makes it a third-degree felony, carrying up to five years in prison, for a person in law enforcement custody or detainment to possess one — a law enacted specifically to prevent escape attempts during arrest or transport, according to Online Sunshine…