By Joe Bachman

A 21-year-old man faces multiple drug charges after police say they found controlled substances in his vehicle after a traffic stop.

Benjamin Bennett, of Wisconsin Rapids, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to police reports, on Jun. 16, an officer initiated a traffic stop in the area of West Ives St. in Marshfield for doing 41 mp.h. in a 25 m.p.h. zone. The driver, identified as Bennett, was determined to have a suspended driver’s license.

The officer observed that other passengers in the vehicle seemed “nervous” and the smell of burnt marijuana was apparent. The K9 unit was brought out to do a perimeter sniff of the vehicle and indicated positive for illegal substances inside.

Police would find a short straw with a white, powdery residue and two syringes. Bennett allegedly told items that these items belonged to him, and that he used heroin frequently. Tests would later confirm the substances found as methamphetamine and heroin.

If convicted, Bennett faces a total of seven years imprisonment and up to $20,000 in fines. His pre-trial conference is scheduled for Aug. 12.