K-9 helps Belvidere police arrest convicted felon with drugs and guns

BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) — Belvidere Police, with the help of a K9, arrested a convicted felon on drug and gun charges on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the police department, officers responded to calls of a reckless driver in the 1800 block of Crystal Parkway and performed a traffic stop on a white Ford pickup.

A K9 alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the truck, police said.

Inside, they reportedly found 6.7 grams of crack cocaine, 2 handguns, and drug paraphernalia.

The driver, Michael Stiehler, 56, of New Lenox, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Stiehler faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted on the new charges.

He was booked into the Boone County Jail pending the outcome of a pretrial detention hearing.