A Lee County judge on Thursday set a June hearing for a Georgia man who’s pleaded not guilty to drug charges related to the Jan. 16 police search of a stranded vehicle near Amboy.

Dennis L. Weaver, 52, of Cairo, Georgia is charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony; unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony; and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. He pleaded not guilty March 18, court records show.

The charges stem from Jan. 16 when a Lee County sheriff’s deputy stopped to assist a stalled vehicle with Georgia license plates. While speaking with the four occupants, the deputy saw items used for ingesting narcotics and a subsequent search of the vehicle found a ballistic vest, various controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, according to the sheriff’s office.

A backpack and luggage were taken from the scene and searched at the Lee County Law Enforcement Center. Inside the backpack, police found a homemade pipe bomb along with various rounds and calibers of ammunition, according to police.

The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad was called in to examine the bomb, and technicians found it to contain a fine powder and numerous screws. A robotic device was used to remove the item from the Lee County facility, and it was safely destroyed, according to police.

On Thursday, Weaver appeared via Zoom before Lee County Circuit Judge Jacquelyn D. Ackert and the case was continued.

His next hearing is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. June 18.

Weaver is on conditional release as his case proceeds to trial. His release was ordered Jan. 21, the same day charges were filed, by Lee County Associate Judge Matthew T. Klahn because Weaver’s not charged with an offense that qualifies for detention under Illinois law, court records show.

The conditions of his release include that he must not possess a firearm or other dangerous weapon, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, not leave Illinois without court permission and appear and submit to court orders, according to court records.

Ruben Perez, 48, of Dothan, Alabama, is also facing charges related to the stalled vehicle. He’s charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon/body armor by a felon, a Class X felony; unlawful possession of an explosive device, a Class 1 felony; and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony; and two misdemeanors: unlawful possession of an assault weapon and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, court records show.

Perez has pleaded not guilty and is being held in the Lee County Jail. His next court date is 8:30 a.m. May 7.

The third man charged is Michael T. Whigham, 56, of Cairo, Georgia, for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. Whigham failed to appear in court on the charge as scheduled March 4 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.