Authorities have accused an Iowa City man of trafficking in stolen weapons.

Bret Eldridge, 19, 516 S. Van Buren St., was charged Oct. 31 with first-offense trafficking in stolen weapons, failure to affix a drug stamp, third-degree theft, carrying weapons, and a controlled-substance violation.

According to the arrest affidavit, officers responded to 400 S. Johnson St. after receiving reports of two men breaking into cars. On the scene, the affidavit said, an officer saw Eldridge and another man standing between vehicles. As the officer went up to Eldridge, the affidavit said, Eldridge leaned over and the officer saw a black handgun on the ground under the car. When Eldridge was being searched, the affidavit said, a Nutty Bar container fell out of his pocket.

Eldridge and the other man, who is his roommate, were taken into custody, the affidavit said, and were questioned by Iowa City police. While being questioned, the affidavit said, Eldridge asked officers where the Nutty Bar container was at and asked officers to look for it at the scene of his arrest.

Officers found the container, the affidavit said, which had a hidden storage compartment designed to conceal items. Inside the container, the affidavit said, there were 26 full pills and 60 partial pills of Alprazolam, commonly referred to as Xanax.

Eldridge’s roommate told officers Eldridge stopped him just before the officer arrived on the scene and showed him the handgun, which Eldridge told his roommate he got from a friend, the affidavit said.

The handgun Eldridge had, the affidavit said, was later found to have been stolen on Aug. 8. It is valued at $550.

First-offense trafficking in stolen weapons and failure to affix a drug stamp are Class-D felonies.

— Kayli Reese