URBANA — An Urbana man who had cannabis on him in a car Friday and allegedly lied to police about his name is expected to be the first person in Champaign County to be charged with possession of adult use cannabis in a vehicle.
State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said Brandon Turk, 24, who listed an address in the 2000 block of Philo Road, was arrested Friday about 12:15 p.m. following a traffic stop because his car didn’t have a front license plate.
Rietz said Turk gave an Urbana police officer a different name. The officer could smell cannabis in his car so searched it and Turk, finding about two ounces (63 grams) of cannabis in a plastic bag and a digital scale in Turk’s sweatshirt pocket and $185 cash.
Turk was taken to jail, where authorities learned his real name and found that he has several outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on 2018 and 2019 cases for theft, possession with intent to deliver cannabis, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under suspension.
Rietz said the new law, effective Jan. 1, specifies that cannabis must be in a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant cannabis container. Violation of the law is a Class A misdemeanor with penalties ranging from probation to up to 364 days in jail.
Rietz said Turk is also likely to be charged with obstructing justice, a felony.
Turk appeared in bond court Saturday and is being held on a total of $22,500 in all his cases.