Because of his prior conviction, Russel could face an automatic five-year sentence for again illegally possessing a weapon, law enforcement sources said.
Russel - possibly figuring he had nothing to lose - decided to ask for a favor when he was arrested Wednesday.
"When he was being transported, he made a statement to the officers that he knew he couldn't do anything about the gun, but he wondered if they could throw out the weed," said Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives.
The officers refused to oblige, and charged Russel with weapons violations, possessing a controlled substance and related offenses. He also was saddled with a $50,000 bail.
To make matters worse, Russel, 24, already has a host of unresolved legal troubles. According to court records, he's due in court on Jan. 18 to face aggravated assault charges that stemmed from being involved in a fight that turned into a fatal shooting at a University City strip club in November.
Records show that Russel is supposed to be back in court on Jan. 24 to face charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest from a separate November incident.
"It's ironic that a male who was involved in a fatal shooting incident is now showing up again, carrying weapons on public streets without a license," Walker said.
Russel, of Ardsley Road near Lennox in Upper Darby, has a history of frequent brushes with the law.
The first came in June 2003, when he was busted for carrying a firearm without a license. He was sentenced to three years and three days of probation.
In March 2004, Russel was arrested in West Philly after police found marijuana, crack cocaine and two guns - one of which had been reported stolen in North Carolina - in his Chevrolet Tahoe, according to police records. The felony gun violation charges were all later dismissed.
