Elgin man received about 8 pounds of pot from California, police say

Police have arrested an Elgin man who they said accepted a package that was shipped from California and contained about 8 pounds of marijuana.

Alex Barajas-Mendez was released from the McHenry County Jail on Thursday evening after posting bond. The 20-year-old is charged with possession with intent to deliver 2,000 to 5,000 grams of marijuana and possession of marijuana.

Officers with the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group arrested Barajas-Mendez on Tuesday after they used a warrant to search the man’s vehicle near Bull Valley, Lake County MEG Director Christopher Sullivan said in an email.

The search yielded about 3,523 grams of marijuana and 280 THC vape pen cartridges, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.

Sullivan did not say how police learned about the package or what it contained.

Barajas-Mendez, of the 400 block of Walnut Avenue, previously was detained on a $75,000 bond. Prosecutors had asked that Barajas-Mendez be required to prove the source of his bond money before being released.

A McHenry County judge allowed a woman to post $7,500 bail Thursday on Barajas-Mendez’s behalf. As a condition of his bond, Barajas-Mendez must surrender his passport and submit to weekly drug tests, the judge ordered.

The McHenry County Public Defender’s Office will represent Barajas-Mendez, who is due in court July 2.