CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – A man was arrested and a loaded gun was recovered with narcotics Wednesday evening during a proactive Campustown patrol.

Knowing that burglaries are more prevalent during the summer when students are away from their off-campus apartments, an alert officer noticed a suspicious vehicle with its trunk open and two men carrying a television away from an apartment complex. The officer was familiar with one of the men because of a prior arrest.

When the officer stopped to inquire, he smelled cannabis and alcohol emanating from the vehicle owned by Brandon L. Turk, 27, of Urbana. The officer saw an open bottle of liquor in the vehicle while the TV was being loaded. Police told Turk that there was legal justification to search the vehicle because of the open alcohol and the smell of cannabis. Turk locked the vehicle and attempted to leave.

Upon searching the vehicle, police found a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat. They also found illegally packaged cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms.

Police later learned that the other man had permission to take the television.

Turk was arrested for armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance, resisting a police officer and illegal possession of cannabis. He was taken to the Champaign County Jail.

Proactive patrols of residential areas of Campustown to prevent burglaries will continue throughout the summer.

Please note, those arrested are presumed innocent until proved guilty, and formal charges may change as cases are adjudicated.