A routine Memorial Day speeding stop in Geneva turned into anything but routine when officers say they pulled a converted automatic handgun and a loaded high-capacity drum magazine from a DeKalb man's car. Austin L. Seeley Williams, 20, was stopped for speeding and is now facing more than a dozen weapons and drug counts, including unlawful possession of an automatic weapon in a vehicle and manufacture or delivery of cannabis. He is being held in the Kane County jail pending further proceedings.
Geneva officers pulled over a Honda Civic on Memorial Day after radar clocked it at 56 mph in a 35-mph zone, and an officer reported smelling cannabis coming from the car, according to a news release from the Geneva Police Department. When the driver got out, officers say they saw a THC cartridge in plain view, then found additional cartridges, a plastic bag with a leafy green substance, and a digital scale in the glove box. The department says a subsequent search of the trunk turned up the converted handgun and ammunition.
What police say they found
In the trunk, investigators say they located a Glock 22 Gen 4 .40-caliber handgun fitted with a switch to fire automatically, along with a loaded drum magazine that held about 45 rounds and a hollow‑point cartridge chambered, according to Patch's account of the department release. Police also reported additional THC cartridges and marijuana-related items in the vehicle. Authorities noted that Seeley Williams does not possess a valid Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.
Charges and next steps
The Kane County State’s Attorney authorized charges that include unlawful possession of a machine gun or automatic weapon in a vehicle and armed violence, both Class X felonies, along with multiple aggravated unlawful possession counts and a felony cannabis charge, the city said in its release. Prosecutors have requested that Seeley Williams be held pending trial under the state’s Pretrial Fairness Act. Court paperwork and local coverage indicate the case will be handled in Kane County Circuit Court.
What the law says
Illinois criminal law treats converting a firearm into a machine gun and possessing a machine gun in a vehicle as serious offenses. The relevant provisions appear in the Illinois Compiled Statutes (720 ILCS 5/24-1), which outline unlawful-use-of-weapons restrictions. Class X felonies carry determinate prison terms that in many cases range from six to 30 years under state sentencing law, according to the Justia publication of the Unified Code of Corrections. Local reporting notes that Seeley Williams remains in custody at the Kane County jail and is due back in court on July 29, as reported by the Daily Herald.
