881 pounds of edibles found in North Side storage locker, prosecutors say

Chicago police armed with a search warrant found nearly $500,000 worth of cannabis products, including 881 pounds of infused edibles, in a storage locker on the Near North Side, prosecutors said Wednesday. Now, the man who allegedly rented the storage space is facing multiple felony charges.

Cops executed the search warrant at Public Storage, 1129 North Wells, on December 11. And they allegedly found a marijuana motherlode inside the locker that prosecutors said was rented by 41-year-old James Lawson.

Among the items allegedly seized by police: over 880 pounds of cannabis-infused edibles; 66 pounds of cannabis flowers; thousands of pre-rolled joints, and 2,950 cannabis vape cartridges.

The total street value? $483,200 according to prosecutors.

Lawson has no criminal background. His private defense attorney, Herschel Rush, said authorities had not presented any evidence to show Lawson possessing the contraband or bringing it into or out of the storage facility.

Prosecutors charged Lawson with manufacture-delivery of cannabis and possession of a controlled substance.

Judge Susana Ortiz set his bail at $50,000. Lawson will need to post a $5,000 deposit bond and prove that the bond money came from a legitimate source.