Kankakee police arrest man on multiple drug charges

KANKAKEE — A traffic stop made by Kankakee police Monday led to the arrest of 34-year-old Marcus A. Gathing, of Kankakee, on multiple drug charges.

At approximately 7:10 p.m., a two-officer unit was parked on West Stone Street. The officers saw a vehicle drive past missing a front license plate displayed on the front bumper, a Kankakee police report said.

The officers proceeded to make a traffic stop near the intersection of North Seventh Avenue and West Stone Street, the report said.

The driver immediately exited the vehicle and attempted to run but was caught by officers a short distance away and secured, the report said.

Gathing was a passenger in the vehicle. He had a clear plastic bag labeled "Gumbo Blue Nerds" that was open and contained approximately 32.5 grams of raw cannabis in his hand.

During a probable cause search of the vehicle based on the illegal transportation of the raw cannabis, officers located a clear Ziploc bag from the center console that appeared to have other clear bags with a white powdery substance and light blue rock like substance, suspected narcotics. A firearm was also recovered from the vehicle, the report said.

Gathing and two occupants were taken to the police department to be interviewed. The other two people were released pending further investigation, the report said.

The following narcotics were recovered from the vehicle:

• clear plastic bag containing approximately 56.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine;

• clear plastic bag containing approximately 43.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine;

• clear plastic bag containing approximately 48.8 grams of suspected heroin;

• clear plastic bag containing approximately 5.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine;

• clear plastic bags with a total weight of 3 grams of suspected heroin;

• approximately 0.9 grams of loose suspected methamphetamine;

• clear plastic bag containing approximately 1 gram of suspected cocaine.

All field-tested positive, the report said.

Kankakee County court records indicated Gathing was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a weapon, armed violence, possession of a firearm with defaced serial number, methamphetamine manufacturing (100 to 400 grams), possession of heroin (15 to 100 grams), manufacturing cocaine (1 to 15 grams) and obstructing justice.

Gathing is be held pending a detention hearing Tuesday, according to Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe.