Two Arrested for Drug Possession in Berlin

Erik M. Winebrenner and Alexander Y. Taran (Photo: Berlin Police)

BERLIN, Md. - Two people were arrested Friday for drug possession after they were pulled over in a traffic stop in Berlin, Maryland.

Around 11:30 p.m. Friday night, an officer with the Berlin Police Department was traveling eastbound on Ocean Gateway approaching Old Ocean City Blvd and noticed a Chevrolet Camaro driving behind him without the headlights on, police said Sunday. The Camaro then switched lanes without signaling in front of another vehicle and sped past the marked patrol car, police said. 

The officer immediately conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Upon approaching the vehicle, police said the officer smelled marijuana and saw loose marijuana in the car. Police searched the vehicle and found a plastic baggie containing more than ten grams of marijuana, “wax” concentrated THC extract, several prescription pills, a smoking device, cell phones and money, according to police.

The driver 21-year-old Erik Matthew Winebrenner and the passenger 20-year-old Alexander Yevgenyevich Taran, both of Reisterstown, Md., were taken into custody, police said. Taran was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of possession not marijuana, and one count of possession of marijuana. Winebrenner was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of marijuana, police said. Both people were taken before the District Court Commissioner. 

Taran was ordered held on $10,000 bond, and Winebrenner was ordered held on $5,000 bond.

The money, cell phones, and vehicle were seized pending further investigation, police said. The drugs were submitted to the Maryland State Police Crime Lab for analysis. 

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