Lake Co. man gets supervision in pot bust

A Beach Park man was placed on court supervision for two years Friday for possessing just over an ounce of marijuana.

If he completes the time without any further legal trouble, Tristan Massey, 23, will have the conviction erased from his record.

Lake County Associate Judge Christopher Stride rejected a prosecutor's request to have Massey placed on probation, which would have made the conviction record permanent, and told Massey to take advantage of the break he was being given.

"I am going to hold your feet to the fire on each and every condition of this supervision," Stride said. "If you violate just one, I promise you will do jail time."

Massey, of the 10000 block of Fairbanks Road, was stopped for a headlight violation on Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach about 7:45 p.m. on Jan. 20.

The officer who stopped him smelled marijuana and discovered Massey was carrying the drug in two bags.

Assistant State's Attorney Rod Drobinski told Stride he was willing to allow Massey to plead guilty to a misdemeanor rather than a felony, but thought the conviction should be permanent because of the amount of marijuana Massey had.

Waukegan defense attorney Michael Nerheim argued for the court supervision, saying a conviction could restrict Massey, who is attending college, from achieving some personal career goals.

Stride said he would give Massey the chance, fined him $1,200 and ordered him to perform 150 hours of community service. Massey also agreed to surrender the $900 in cash he was carrying at the time of his arrest.