(La Porte County, IN) - A man released from a traffic stop in La Porte County was later returning from Michigan when stopped by the same officer and found with a large amount of marijuana.
Kelvin Ezell, 45, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 5 felony dealing in marijuana.
According to La Porte County Police, Ezell was a passenger in a car he rented the previous night in Mississippi when the driver was pulled over just before 8 a.m. Thursday on Interstate 94 outside Michigan City.
Police said the men claiming to be going to New Buffalo for a “two day vacation” were found with a small amount of “personal use” marijuana.
The discovery led to a search of the vehicle and finding of an estimated $10,000 in cash inside a nearly empty suitcase in the trunk. Police said the officer allowed the men to go since the amount of marijuana was small and no other forms of contraband were found.
Just over three hours later, police said the officer monitoring traffic at the same location spotted the vehicle with Ezell driving this time heading back from Michigan. Suspecting they might be involved in criminal activity, the officer caught up to the vehicle and, eventually, pulled it over.
Inside the trunk of the car was a previously empty large plastic tote now containing 15 one pound bags of marijuana, police said. Police said there was also marijuana inside three one ounce bags and 55 pre-rolled cigarettes in the tote along with two jars containing marijuana and three THC vapes, police said.
No money was found in the vehicle during the second search.
Police said both men were being questioned when Ezell admitted the marijuana belonged to him. Ezell, who’s from Columbia, Missouri was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond. He could face a one to six-year sentence.
In his report, sheriff’s deputy Wade Wallace, who was involved in the traffic stop, said he believes the men went to Michigan to purchase the marijuana since it’s legal in that state to later sell on the black market.
