A 20-year-old man from Chicago Heights has been hit with drug and gun charges following a traffic stop in Ford Heights, where police found suspected "lean" and weapons in his vehicle. Jamin Hubbard, the driver, was stopped by Cook County Sheriff's Police on Nov. 16 at around 9:45 p.m. near the 1300 block of Seeley Avenue because of a vehicle code violation, according to a post by the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
During the stop, an officer reportedly observed a baby bottle containing a liquid believed to be promethazine, or "lean," in Hubbard's white Tesla. This led to Hubbard being taken into custody for possession of a controlled substance. Police then recovered two loaded firearms during a subsequent search before the car was to be towed, though Hubbard was without a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card or a concealed carry license.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Hubbard, including two counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance. Despite the severity of the charges, Hubbard was ordered released from custody following his initial court appearance at the Markham Courthouse on Nov.18. The reminder is often given out in situations like these: "defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
Hubbard's release raises questions about the consequences faced by individuals tied to illegal substances and unlicensed weapons possession. It appears that the system is designed to quickly release individuals only to potentially have to apprehend them later. As cases like Hubbard's rise into the public eye, the balance between enforcement of laws and rights to due process continues to be a matter of scrutiny and debate.
