Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison Time for Drugs

Leesburg, Virginia resident Matthew Taffer has been sentenced to four years in prison for possessing more than 5,000 grams of cannabis in Effingham County.

Taffer pleaded guilty to the possession count, a Class 1 felony, in exchange for dismissal of Class X felony counts of cannabis trafficking and manufacture or delivery of cannabis, which would have meant more substantial prison time in the event of a conviction.

Taffer was arrested by Illinois State Police after he was stopped here for a traffic offense while traveling from Colorado to Virginia in March. A K9 hit on Taffer's vehicle and a search turned up 72 pounds of cannabis.