MONTREAL—A senior security guard at an elite Quebec private school is facing a serious criminal charge in Illinois after more than $1 million worth of cocaine was allegedly found in his vehicle.

The state’s attorney office says police arrested Sylvain Bergeron in suburban Chicago as he allegedly transported a load of the narcotic with a reported street value of about $1.3 million.

Local media in Illinois reported he was initially pulled over on Jan. 10 for talking on his cellphone while driving.

Bergeron, 42, has been charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and, if convicted, could face between six and 30 years in prison with no option for probation, said office spokesman Charles Pelkie.

He said Bergeron was allegedly caught with at least 900 grams of cocaine but he could not specify the exact amount.

“It’s a Class X felony, which is one of our highest-grade felonies short of murder,” Pelkie said Friday.

Bergeron has been employed at Quebec’s exclusive Stanstead College since 2006, said a spokesman for the $20,000-per-year secondary school.

Ross Murray said Illinois police called a college official on Tuesday to inform them of the arrest.

Murray said Bergeron is in charge of nightwatchmen at the school, which is about one kilometre from the Vermont border in the town of Stanstead.

“He’s been a fine employee, he’s loyal, responsible, so this comes as a huge surprise to us,” said Murray, who added that Bergeron oversaw scheduling for nightwatchmen and was not part of the school’s administration.

“He has nothing in his file that would give us any cause for concern about anything of this nature.”

Murray said Bergeron has had very little contact with students because he worked overnight shifts and at times when the school was closed.

“Our thoughts are with the family, Mr. Bergeron’s family,” he said.

“We are a very close community in our school, so we’re all taking this quite hard. So, we’re just trying to be strong for each other and his family.”

Murray said all staff members undergo a police background check before they are hired. He also indicated it’s too early to say whether the school would conduct an internal investigation.

“We’re just all very surprised and in shock about this, and as far as the school is concerned, we have no reason to believe that anyone else in the school, or employees or students for that matter, are involved in this in anyway,” he said.

Bergeron, who is being held in the Will County jail in Joliet, Ill., appeared in court Monday and is due back before a judge on Feb. 3 for a preliminary hearing or arraignment.

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Pelkie said his bond was set at $2 million (U.S.) and he would have to post 10 per cent of that amount (or $200,000) to secure his release while awaiting trial.

Bergeron was also given traffic violations for improper lane usage and for handling an electronic communication device while driving.

Police told an Illinois newspaper, The Herald-News, that Bergeron was stopped on an interstate highway after he was allegedly spotted talking on his cellphone.

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