A jury has found a 24-year-old Aurora man guilty of illegally posessing an AK-47 and methorphan, a controlled substance.
Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced Friday that Tyree K. Pugh-Cox was convicted of Armed Violence with a Semiautomatic Firearm, a Class X felony; Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a Class 2 felony; and Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, a Class 4 felony.
According to prosecutors, on the afternoon of March 28, 2025, a Kane County Sheriff’s sergeant stationed on Interstate 88 near Route 47 conducted a traffic stop on Pugh-Cox after he observed him follow another vehicle too closely and hastily cross the striped median to the exit ramp. As Pugh-Cox pulled over on Finley Road, the sergeant observed the two occupants of the vehicle making furtive movements. Through the rear windshield, he saw Pugh-Cox pass a rifle-style firearm to Marquese Reed, who was in the back seat.
Both Pugh-Cox and Reed complied with orders to exit the vehicle and were detained. Officers found a loaded Century Arms DRACO AK-47 pistol concealed inside a backpack on the rear floor of the vehicle. In the defendant’s driver door cup holder, officers found a bottle of Sprite mixed with a medicinal-smelling substance, which later tested positive for methorphan, a controlled substance.
Neither individual possessed a valid FOID or Concealed Carry License because both had previously been convicted of a felony offense.
Judge David Kliment set Pugh-Cox’s next court appearance for November 19 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 305 at the Kane County Judicial Center for post-trial motions and sentencing.
Pugh-Cox faces a minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He remains in custody at the Kane County Jail.
“This verdict ensures that this defendant will be held accountable for illegally possessing a loaded Draco AK-47 and a controlled substance,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Jilian Burns.
