A Kane County jury has found an Aurora man guilty of armed violence and weapons and drug charges stemming from a traffic stop on Interstate 88 that turned up a loaded AK-47-style pistol and a soda bottle laced with a controlled substance. Tyree Pugh-Cox, 24, now faces a minimum of 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and remains held at the Kane County jail.
According to Rockford News First, a Kane County jury convicted Pugh-Cox of armed violence with a semiautomatic firearm, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. The case traces back to March 28, 2025, when a Kane County sheriff's sergeant pulled over Pugh-Cox's vehicle on Interstate 88 near Route 47 after the SUV was seen following another vehicle too closely and quickly crossing the striped median toward an exit ramp, the station's report states. A separate account from fox32chicago.com places the stop around 4:30 p.m. that day on eastbound I-88 west of Route 47, describing a gray GMC SUV pulled over for an alleged lane violation.
Deputies Say They Saw a Gun Passed Between Occupants
During the stop, the sergeant reportedly saw two people inside the vehicle making furtive movements, according to Rockford News First. Fox32Chicago similarly reported that detectives saw a large gun being passed from the driver to the passenger before both men were taken into custody.
The Kane County State's Attorney's Office reported that Pugh-Cox and Reed complied with orders and were detained. A search of the SUV turned up a loaded Century Arms Draco AK-47 pistol concealed in a backpack on the backseat floor, the Rockford News First report states, while Fox32Chicago similarly reported that detectives found a Draco AK-47 pistol in the rear passenger area of the vehicle.
Conflicting Accounts on the Liquid Substance Found
Investigators also found a bottle of Sprite mixed with a medicinal-smelling substance in the driver's door cup holder, according to the WIFR account, which identified the substance as methorphan. Fox32Chicago's report, however, described the find differently, stating that officers located approximately 168 grams of codeine in liquid form in the vehicle. The two outlets' accounts of the exact substance differ, and that detail remains unresolved between the reports.
Neither Pugh-Cox nor Reed had a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card or a concealed carry license, according to the WIFR report, and both men are convicted felons. Fox32Chicago reported that both men were charged with possession of a weapon as a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, while Pugh-Cox was additionally charged with armed violence and possession of a controlled substance.
Sentencing Exposure and Next Court Date
Pugh-Cox, who lived in Aurora, now faces a minimum of 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following the jury's verdict, per the Rockford News First report. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 19 at 1:30 p.m.
