Elgin seatbelt violation leads to Ecstacy bust

A 22-year-old Elgin man was arrested with more than 50 Ecstasy pills this week after a traffic stop for not wearing a seat belt, police said.

Gino A. Moraca, of the 300 block of North Street, faces felony charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a charge that carries a six- to 30-year prison term upon conviction, according to Kane County court records.

Moraca also was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and three counts of misdemeanor resisting arrest. He also was cited for not wearing a seat belt or having driver's insurance.

An officer noticed Moraca wasn't wearing a seat belt and pulled him over at about 4:30 p.m. Monday on the 1000 block of Dundee Avenue, a police report said.

The officer noticed several small yellow and clear plastic bags on the floor of Moraca's 1991 Acura Legend.

After detecting the odor of marijuana on one, the officer asked Moraca for permission to search the car, the report said.

Police say Moraca was fidgeting, so they asked him to get out of the car and found 52 pills in two separate bags in his jacket.

He told police the pills were Adderall, a medication for ADHD, but the pills later tested positive for presence of chemicals found in Ecstasy, according to the report.

Police also found more bags and a digital scale in the car, the report said.

Moraca is being held at the Kane County jail on $50,000 bail, meaning he must post $5,000 to be released while the case is pending.

He is next due in court on May 9. He does not have any previous arrests in Kane County, court records show.