A Chicago man is facing federal charges after a nurse spotted a gun protruding out of his pants. The defendant did not have a valid FOID card or a concealed carry permit. He was taken to the hospital after a car accident. He is now facing several weapons charges related to the illegal possession of a weapon. His bond was set at $60,000, but he did not show up for a court appearance on June 24. His bond was reset at $100,000, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
According to the report, a nurse called hospital security when she spotted the gun in the defendant’s pants. The gun was confiscated and placed into a safe. Police were notified. The 9mm handgun was found to have seven rounds of ammunition. This is standard protocol for a hospital when they find a gun on a person. The hospital is not a great place to bring a gun. Because the defendant has two prior weapons-related convictions, he was charged with being an armed habitual criminal in possession of a weapon.
Armed Habitual Criminal in Possession of a Weapon Charges
The defendant is facing numerous charges related to the unlawful possession of a handgun. The most serious of those charges is being an armed habitual criminal. The defendant faced two previous weapons charges related to the unlawful possession of a handgun. He is also facing charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a handgun for knowingly carrying a loaded gun on his person and in his vehicle while not possessing a valid FOID card or a concealed carry permit.
Being an armed habitual criminal is a three-strikes rule. If you are found to have two previous charges related to carrying a weapon or other felonies that qualify under the law, you can be charged with being an armed habitual criminal. Qualifying felonies include any forcible felony, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, carjacking, aggravated battery of a child, intimidation, aggravated intimidation, gunrunning, burglary, or aggravated battery with a firearm. The law also includes various drug offenses such as violations of the Controlled Substances Act or the Cannabis Control Act.
Being an armed habitual criminal is considered a class X felony under Illinois State law. Defendants charged with a class X felony cannot be sentenced to probation. The lightest term a defendant can face is six years with the maximum being 30 years.
In this case, the defendant was not committing a crime other than being in possession of a weapon that was illegal for him to carry. While the car accident may have been his fault, that is not strictly a crime. However, he will face very serious charges with long sentences for bringing the weapon into a hospital where it was spotted by hospital staff. You never want to bring a weapon into a hospital.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
David Freidberg represents the interests of Chicago residents who are charged with serious weapons offenses. Call our office today at (312) 560-7100 to schedule an appointment, and we can begin going over your options immediately.