An Ingleside birthday party that erupted into gunfire last fall has now led to fresh charges for an 18-year-old from Round Lake Beach. Prosecutors say Oscar E. Arteaga is facing multiple weapons counts tied to a drive-by shooting outside a home that left a 19-year-old dead, while another teen has already been charged with murder in the same case. The arrest marks the latest step in an investigation that began on Oct. 10, 2025.
Weapons charges and arrest
According to FOX 32 Chicago, Arteaga, 18, of Round Lake Beach, was taken into custody Thursday. He is charged with possession of a firearm without a FOID card and four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon. FOX 32 reports that he was scheduled to appear in court later that day.
Authorities say the new counts grew out of follow-up investigative work tied to the Oct. 10 killing, as detectives continued to build the weapons case around the gun they believe was used in the attack.
How investigators tied a gun to the case
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says detectives first identified the vehicle used in the drive-by, then tracked it to the residence of an earlier suspect. There, an explosive-detection canine gave indications that led officers to a car where a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting was found.
According to the sheriff’s office, ammunition recovered during the search matched rounds fired during the incident, and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted investigators with obtaining search warrants. In an October media release, Sheriff John D. Idleburg credited his team’s persistence, saying, “Our patrol deputies, detectives, and explosive detection canine team worked tirelessly to identify and apprehend the person responsible for this senseless act of violence.” The update was announced by the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
What happened at the party
Investigators say the shooting followed an argument at a birthday party on Oct. 10, 2025, in the 35700 block of North Wilson Road in Ingleside. Deputies arrived to find 19-year-old Alejandro Castaneda lying in a driveway with a gunshot wound to the chest, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified Yurem Mejia-Gomez as the alleged shooter and previously charged him with two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Those charging details were reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
Legal stakes
The counts against Arteaga rest on specific provisions of Illinois law. Aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon is set out at 720 ILCS 5/24-1.6 and can carry felony penalties, while the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act requires Illinois residents to obtain a FOID card in order to legally possess firearms. Those statutes form the legal backbone for the charges that investigators brought forward and prosecutors reviewed. The statutory language is available at 720 ILCS 5/24-1.6 and 430 ILCS 65.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted deputies with the original search warrants, and the sheriff’s office says the homicide case remains active and under investigation. Detectives have not publicly outlined Arteaga’s alleged role beyond the weapons charges, and both suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The Lake County Sheriff's Office has noted that prosecutors reviewed the investigative file before approving the latest round of charges.
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