Lemont Teens Accused of Selling Pot Were Trying to Raise Money for Lollapalooza Tickets

Two brothers trying to raise money for Lollapalooza tickets by selling marijuana were arrested early Thursday morning during a traffic stop after Lemont police found in possession with 48 grams of cannabis, prosecutors said in bond court on Thursday.

Robert Gasienica, 19, and his 18-year-old brother, Michael Gasienica, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on charges of manufacturing with intent to deliver cannabis.

Prosecutors said the brothers were rear seat passengers in a vehicle that was stopped around 12:44 a.m. Thursday because it had an air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror.

While making the stop, officers observed the brothers making “furtive moves” in the back seat, prosecutors alleged.

According to the charges, the officer asked the occupants of the vehicle if they had anything in the car that “might get them into trouble.” After one of the boys handed over a baggie containing 3.5 grams of suspect cannabis, the officer ordered everyone out the vehicle.

When the officer asked again if there was anything in the car that could them into trouble, the brothers handed over nine more baggies and a Mason jar containing cannabis for a total of 48 grams, prosecutors said.

Later, prosecutors said the brothers allegedly submitted a written statement to police describing how they had purchased a quarter pound of cannabis earlier in the week and divided it up so they could sell it to their friends to raise money for tickets to Lollapalooza.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Robert was a 2014 graduate of Lemont High School. His brother Michael graduated from the high school in 2015. Both brothers were attending or planning to attend College of DuPage.

Neither has any previous criminal arrests or backgrounds. The assistant public defender asked that they be given an I-bond.

“Oh, I’m going to give them both the key to the jail,” Judge Felice said.

The judge released both brothers on I-bonds and ordered electronic home monitoring and random urine drops, along with a 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. curfew.

“I can tell you right now that you’re not going to ‘lollapaluzzo,’ ” the judge said.