Marquist Polite, a Tampa resident who was wanted on federal drug charges in addition to assaulting a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper, was arrested on these charges last week by the United States Marshal's Office. Tampa criminal defense lawyer John Musca has learned that the Marshals received a tip that Polite was residing on Sixth Avenue in Tampa and subsequently conducted surveillance around the area with assistance from local police. The Marshals and local Tampa police officers then formed a perimeter around the house and arrested Polite without any significant difficulties. In addition to his federal charges, Polite was booked on several state felony charges including: battery on a law enforcement officer, obstructing or opposing an officer with violence, depriving an officer of means of protection, criminal mischief causing $1000 of damage or more, obstructing or opposing an officer without violence and violation of probation for felony fleeing to elude.
Polite, a known gang member, was accused of violently attacking a Florida State trooper on July 3rd of this year after the trooper stopped Polite for not wearing a seat belt on Brandon Town Center Boulevard. After the traffic stop, the trooper conducted a pat down of Polite to look for weapons based on what he described as Polite's suspicious behavior. During the patdown Polite allegedly struck the trooper in his arm. Polite then hit the trooper several other times before fleeing. The arresting officer reported that he attempted to grab Polite's shirt to stop him from fleeing, but was unsuccessful. At the time of the stop Polite had open warrants for felony violation of probation as well as the federal drug charges. Crimestoppers had offered a reward for any information regarding Polite's whereabouts after the incident which may have led to the tip that the United States Marshals received that helped them discover his location.
