Two Men In Custody For Possessing Machine Gun, Reckless Discharge

Two men have been denied pre-trial release after having been charged with multiple gun charges, including possession of a machine gun and reckless discharge of a firearm.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny two men pre-trial release on unrelated weapons charges out of Naperville. The first subject, a 19-year-old Joliet man, has been charged with one count of Possession of a Machine Gun, a Class X Felony; one count of Possession of a Firearm – no FOID, a Class 3 Felony; and two counts of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, a Class 4 Felony. In an unrelated case, a 24-year-old Naperville man was charged with one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon, a Class 3 Felony, and one count of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, a Class 4 Felony.

On Thursday at approximately 8:09pm, Naperville police officers allegedly observed a vehicle turn out of a Wendy’s parking lot coming close to the officers’ vehicle. The vehicle appeared to jerk partially into the roadway, coming close to the officer’s vehicle.

The officer proceeded in front of the vehicle, allowed it to turn, and then made a U-turn to get behind it. Once behind the vehicle, the officer conducted a traffic stop for expired license plates. While speaking to the driver, the officer heard what sounded like the slide of a handgun rack from inside the vehicle. The officer approached the individual in the passenger seat, later identified as the Joiliet resident, while awaiting backup. When backup arrived, the officer asked the suspect to exit the vehicle. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a Glock 17 9 mm firearm with a switch capable of making the firearm fully automatic underneath the subject’s seat. He was taken into custody at that time.

In an unrelated incident, also on Thursday, at approximately 8:07pm Naperville police officers on patrol were traveling behind a vehicle allegedly driven by the Naperville subject, who was not wearing a seatbelt. Officers heard what sounded like a gunshot come from the vehicle and observed the vehicle to lightly swerve and shake, resulting in the officers conducted a traffic stop.

After approaching the vehicle, officers located a cannabis shake on the gearshift and an open bottle of tequila in the rear pocket of the passenger’s seat. All four occupants were asked out of the vehicle. It is alleged that as the suspect exited, a spent shell casing was found on the driver’s seat. The vehicle was then searched, and a loaded .45 caliber firearm was located under the front passenger seat. The bullets contained in the firearm matched the spent shell casing found on the driver’s seat. Near where the driver’s left foot would have been while seated, officers observed a bullet hole entrance leading outward from within the vehicle, and they observed no exit hole. After testing all occupants for gunshot residue, residue was found only on the suspect’s hands. A 9 mm handgun was also located in the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle.

“I commend the Naperville Police Department for their efforts on these two cases,” Berlin said. “Their commitment to public safety is second to none. Once again, their efforts have led to the removal of dangerous weapons from those who are not legally allowed to possess them. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Adam Frahm and Anthony Raimondi for their efforts in securing strong charges against these two defendants.”