CENTRALIA – A traffic stop early Sunday morning on Route 161 led to the arrests of two Centralia men on weapons charges.

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, a car driven by 25-year-old Denzel McChristian was stopped for alleged speeding Sunday morning on Route 161 near Bell Club Road.

The deputy reportedly smelled cannabis when the vehicle was stopped and asked McChristian and his 26-year-old passenger Shandre Pickett if they had anything illegal.

The two men reportedly told the deputy they only had a small amount of cannabis. But after the county K-9 alerted on the vehicle a search of the vehicle was conducted and deputies allegedly discovered loaded weapons under both the driver and passenger seats.

One of the firearms was reported as stolen in May from a location in Centralia. Approximately 17 grams of cannabis was discovered in a backpack in the back seat of the vehicle.

Both McChristian and Pickett were arrested for alleged possession of a stolen firearm, possession of between 10 and 30 grams of cannabis, and possession of a weapon without a FOID card. McChristian was also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

They were taken to the Marion County Jail to await the formal filing of charges and the setting of bail.