Police: Man caught with pot-laced chocolate bars

Authorities arrested a 31-year-old Kane County man Wednesday afternoon after a 42-pound shipment of marijuana-infused chocolate bars was delivered to his home from a California medical marijuana dispensary, police said.

Thomas J. Franzen, of the 900 block of Harmony Lane, Montgomery, was arrested about an a hour after the package arrived and authorities executed a search warrant, Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Bill Backus said.

"It was actually 42 pounds of cannabis-laced chocolate edibles from a company in California. We are alleging that, yes, he had it shipped to him," said Backus, director of the North Central Narcotics Task Force, a division of the state police.

Backus said the package contained 430 individually foil-wrapped bars that retail for $13, a total of nearly $5,600.

Franzen is charged with five felony counts of cannabis trafficking and possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, according to court records.

The charges carry a possible penalty of six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation.

Bail for Franzen was set at $150,000; his next court date was not immediately available Thursday.

Backus said police also seized $2,275, 102 grams of marijuana, and found suspected drug ledgers, both electronic and handwritten, from Franzen's home. The search warrant was executed about an hour after the package was delivered, he said.

"We have communicated with authorities in California and they are working on an investigation," Backus said. "At this point, we don't believe anyone else was involved in the Chicago (suburban) area."