A 30-year-old homeless man has agreed to a sentence of 15 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for a guilty plea to the offense of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at Police Officers, a Class X felony.
Judge John A. Barsanti accepted the plea.
On September 9, 2023, the offender, identified as Odessian Torres, fired seven shots from an illegally owned firearm in the direction of City of Elgin police officers performing their official duties. In doing so, he also severely damaged a stop signed owned by the City of Elgin, hitting it with three of the shots. Torres’s possession of the firearm, a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 9mm handgun, was illegal, as he was already a convicted felon at the time.
In accordance with Illinois law, Torres must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. Torres receives credit for 525 days served in the Kane County jail.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of knowingly firing a weapon at law enforcement officers, and it ensures accountability for such actions,” Assistant State’s Attorney Kelly M. Orland stated after the judgement. “I want to thank the Elgin Police Department for their professionalism and dedication to keeping the community safe. Their swift response and commitment to justice were critical in bringing this case to a resolution.”