Groton -- Town Police arrested a convicted felon early Sunday morning after they say he was found to have a pound of marijuana and a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol in his car when he was stopped for equipment violations on Route 12.

Police said that at approximately 3:34 a.m they stopped Lamont Coleman, age 31, of 952 Shewville Road, Ledyard, in the area of Hickory Drive. Police said they smlled an odor of a marijuana in the car and Coleman admitted to possessing marijuana, showing officers a small pill-sized bottle containing marijuana.

Police said officers then saw a reusable shopping bag in the back seat that contained a quantity of the same bottles that Coleman showed officers. A search of the vehicle then revealed approximately 461.3 grams or 16 ounces of marijuana, a quantity of crack cocaine and powder cocaine, two scales, a large quantity of marijuana packaging material and the gun. As a convicted felon, police said Coleman is not eligible to possess a firearm.

Coleman was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of greater than 8 ounces of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to display a  registration plate and illegal operation of motor vehicle without tint inspection. Coleman was later released on a $35,000 surety bond and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on April 22.