A late-night spin in a Maserati through Chicago Heights ended with felony charges for a 22-year-old driver after sheriff’s investigators say they found a loaded handgun and suspected cannabis during a traffic stop.
Deputies with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Organized Crime Division say they pulled over a black Maserati Ghibli around 11:05 p.m. last Monday in the 200 block of West 14th Place after spotting a turn-signal violation. Investigators say they recovered a loaded firearm and what they believed to be cannabis from the vehicle.
The driver was identified as 22-year-old Benjamin Sanchez of Chicago Heights. According to investigators, Sanchez did not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card or a concealed carry license, and he was also cited for failing to use a turn signal. Sanchez was taken into custody following the stop, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a felony unlawful possession of a weapon charge and a misdemeanor unlawful possession of cannabis charge against Sanchez, with prosecutors filing the counts on July 14. At his first court appearance, a judge ordered him into the chief judge’s pretrial electronic monitoring program. In its public statement on the arrest, the sheriff’s office also noted that “defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
Routine South Suburban Stops Keep Turning Up Guns
The Chicago Heights traffic stop is part of a broader pattern in the south suburbs, where what start as routine violations keep ending with weapons seizures. Earlier this year, a May traffic stop in the area also turned up a loaded handgun, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Local coverage from Patch has highlighted multiple similar arrests in recent months.
How Illinois Law Treats Gun Possession Cases
In Illinois, being caught with a firearm without a valid FOID card or while otherwise disqualified can quickly turn what might seem like a minor case into a felony. State statutes on unlawful use and aggravated unlawful possession of weapons increase penalties based on factors such as whether a gun is loaded or readily accessible. The framework is laid out in the Illinois Criminal Code and tied to FOID rules that are administered by the Illinois State Police. As outlined by the Illinois General Assembly and the Illinois State Police, the exact penalties depend on the specific offense level and any aggravating circumstances.
Sanchez is scheduled to return to the Markham Courthouse for further proceedings as prosecutors and the court determine next steps. The county’s pretrial electronic monitoring program is overseen by the Office of the Chief Judge, and additional public information on both the courts and electronic monitoring is available from the Circuit Court of Cook County.
