Round Lake man charged with possessing almost 1 pound of marijuana gets probation

A Round Lake man has been sentenced to two years of probation in a plea deal after he was arrested in Spring Grove last year with almost a pound of marijuana.

Joseph R. La Spisa, 36, of the 700 block of Canopy Drive, Round Lake, pleaded guilty Thursday before Judge Mark Gerhardt to one count of possession of 100 to 500 grams of marijuana, a Class 4 felony.

In exchange for the plea, one count of possession with intent to deliver 30 to 500 grams of marijuana and one count of possession of unsecured marijuana in a vehicle were dropped.

Along with La Spisa’s two-year “second-chance” probation sentence, he also will serve 30 hours of public service, submit to random drug tests, obtain a substance abuse assessment and pay $3,890 in fines and fees, according to court records.

La Spisa originally was charged with possession with the intent to deliver 30 to 500 grams of marijuana, a Class 3 felony; possession of 100 to 500 grams of marijuana; and unlawful possession of marijuana by a driver, according to the criminal complaint filed by Spring Grove police in March in McHenry County court.

Police initiated a traffic stop on La Spisa on March 5 at Route 12 and Fox Lake Road, where he was found in possession of almost 450 grams of marijuana in multiple clear sandwich bags and a scale with a substance containing marijuana on it, according to the complaint.

During the traffic stop, La Spisa had “an excessive amount of cannabis within the motor vehicle ... some of which was not contained in a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant cannabis container,” as required by law, according to the complaint.