Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has leveled charges against two men with prior felony convictions for gunrunning and the illegal sale of firearms. According to a press release from the state AG's office, Earl Roschell and Gerardo Martinez are alleged to have conducted firearm sales earlier this year in Kane County.
Accused of committing these offenses, Roschell, 31, faced a raft of charges, including three counts of being an armed habitual criminal, which could bring up to 40 years in prison. Charged with selling two rifles and one shotgun to individuals in a Home Depot parking lot while under house arrest, Roschell's hearing is set for June 28. Martinez, 30, who allegedly concealed a .45 caliber pistol during the transaction, has been issued an arrest warrant. Sentences for these crimes can run concurrently, but will ultimately be determined by a court.
AG Raoul, in the aforementioned press release, affirmed his commitment to "prosecuting illegal gun sales that go hand in hand with gun violence in our communities and other criminal activities throughout Illinois." The case, referred to Raoul's office by the ATF after their investigation, also involved assistance from the Aurora Police Department. Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the ATF's Chicago Field Division expressed his approval of the charges, saying, "Holding those accountable for trafficking firearms in our communities is exactly what these charges represent."
Roschell's criminal history includes multiple convictions for the unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and an instance in 2021 where, when asked to exit a vehicle by CPD officers, he struck their squad car and other structures before fleeing. Prior to his current charges, Roschell served time for aggravated battery and weapons charges. Martinez also has a warrant from 2022 for firearms and drug distribution offenses. Yet, despite the gravity of the charges laid out, it is important to remember that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The Statewide Grand Jury Bureau, which Deputy Bureau Chief Andrew Whitfield is representing in the prosecution, operates under Illinois statute to prosecute complex crimes across multiple counties. Their focus encompasses drugs, money laundering, firearms, and electronics, working in tandem with federal and state law enforcement.
