Chicago Police: Man Claims Five Pounds of Pot in Car Was for ‘Personal Use’

A man accused of carrying a large amount of marijuana in his vehicle allegedly told Chicago police officers it was for his personal use.

When officers made a traffic stop involving 33-year-old Taurean Wilson on Monday on North State, they reportedly got a whiff of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle, CWB Chicago reported Saturday.

Prosecutors say a man told Chicago cops that the 5 pounds of pot they found in his car were all for his personal use.https://t.co/AuVyOjREn5

— CWBChicago (@CWBChicago) July 16, 2023

Officers then asked the man to exit the car so they could look for narcotics, and Wilson reportedly told them he kept weed inside the vehicle, adding he also possessed a medical marijuana card.

During their search, officers reportedly uncovered several bags of suspected cannabis weighing approximately five pounds.

In addition, “He allegedly told them it was all for his personal use,” the outlet said. Now, prosecutors have charged the suspect with felony possession of 2,000 to 5,000 grams of pot.

However, Wilson was freed on his own recognizance, per Judge Kelly McCarthy.

In 2020, Illinois legalized recreational marijuana, the AFP reported, noting details of the law:

Illinois residents age 21 and older will now be allowed to legally possess 30 grams of cannabis, five grams of cannabis concentrate or 500 milligrams of THC — the main active ingredient of cannabis — contained in a cannabis-infused product.

Non-residents are allowed to carry 15 grams of cannabis under the bill, which will also create a licensed growing and dispensary system.

…

But the US Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana a dangerous substance alongside LSD and heroin.

Per the CWB Chicago article, “Wilson received a seven-year sentence for possessing up to 5,000 grams of cannabis in DuPage County. He was discharged from parole in 2020.”

Wilson also has a prior conviction for manufacture-delivery of cannabis in the county and was placed on probation.

In November, a Chicago man named Anthony Hughes met with his parole officer and allegedly brought pot and a drug scale along with him. A month later, a pair of Chicago cousins who allegedly stored more than $2.3 million worth of pot in a storage locker were discovered after their rent for the locker was not paid in a timely manner.