Bond Denied for Convicted Felon Accused of Possessing Firearm and Cocaine
In sharp contrast to his counterpart in Cook County, Kim Foxx, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin is taking a hard line on keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons.
Berlin and Aurora Chief of Police Keith Cross announced today that an Aurora man with an active arrest warrant and a previous conviction for shooting at police officer will be held without bond after he was allegedly found in possession of a handgun and approximately thirteen grams of cocaine. The 43-year-old suspect of the 400 block of W. Downer Place in Aurora appeared at a bond hearing this morning where Judge Brian Telander granted the State’s motion and ordered he be held without bond.
He has been charged with one count of Armed Habitual Criminal (Class X Felony), one count of Armed Violence (Class X Felony) one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony), one count of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class 4 Felony) and one count of Misdemeanor Resisting a Police Officer.
According to police, on July 21, 2022, patrol officers with the Aurora Police Department observed a car pulling out of the Super 8 hotel located on Longmeadow Drive. One of the officers recognized the suspect in the front passenger seat, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The officers pulled their car next to the defendant’s car, at which time the defendant immediately exited the car and began running. After a brief foot chase, officers took the suspect into custody.
APD reports that five live 9mm bullets were found in the suspect’s pants pocket. When searching the vehicle, officers also found a firearm with a loaded magazine in a backpack. Police allege that the suspect gave the driver of the vehicle approximately thirteen grams of cocaine to hide for him before he fled the vehicle.
“For the second time this month, a DuPage County judge has granted out motion and denied bond for a convicted felon accused of illegal possession of a handgun,” Berlin said. “The law is crystal clear, as a convicted felon, [the suspect] is prohibited from ever possessing a firearm again and there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that would allow him to do so, as alleged in this case. I thank the Aurora Police Department for their vigilant efforts on this case that allegedly took a dangerous weapon out of the hands of a convicted felon. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Lee Roupas and Kelly McKay for their work in preparing a strong case against [the suspect].”
“We have zero tolerance for felons in possession of a gun, especially in the hands of a man convicted of shooting one of our officers in 2002,” Cross said. “I want to commend our officers for spotting the suspect, safely taking him into custody and taking an illegal gun off our streets. I also want to thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s office for their assistance in helping us keep our community safe.”
The suspect’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 17, 2022, for arraignment in front of Judge Telander.
