Gov. Jay Nixon’s son was issued a citation Sep. 9 for possession of marijuana.

Wilson Nixon, 21, and his friend, Nickolas Morehead, 21, were cited and released on their signature.

Officers responded to a loud party and possible disturbance at 1:23 a.m. at Brookside Downtown apartments, according to a Columbia Police Department report.

Nixon and Morehead were cited with possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana. Morehead informed officers that Nixon was the son of Gov. Nixon during the citation.

Upon arrival, police discovered people talking loudly in the common hallway, which smelled strongly of marijuana. The door to one of the apartments on the 100 block was open and marijuana was in plain sight.

“He was seen with marijuana,” CPD spokeswoman Latisha Stroer said of Nixon.

The maximum fine for the offense is $250.

“Per city ordinance, anyone who has possession of marijuana under 35 grams does not go through the booking process,” Stroer said. “They don’t have to have their fingerprints taken or their photographs taken.”

City code largely prohibits police from taking individuals with small amounts of marijuana into custody. They are instead instructed to issue a citation, as was the case with Nixon and Morehead.

“This is a private matter that will be handled through the municipal process,” Gov. Jay Nixon said in a public statement. “My son is a fine young man, and we will be working through this issue as a family.”