Deral Willis made a splash on CWBChicago in 2023 when he tried to elude Chicago police by tossing a machine gun into the Chicago River from the State Street Bridge. Unfortunately for him, a Chicago Police Marine Unit diver recovered the weapon. Willis was ultimately sentenced to four years in prison in October, but he was paroled in May.
Now, in a case of déjà vu, the 33-year-old is back in custody on a parole violation after prosecutors say he ran from police with a machine gun and tried to get rid of it by tossing it into a dumpster, just two blocks from the State Street Bridge. At least the cops didn’t need dive gear this time.
Shortly after 1 p.m. on July 29, a CPD surveillance camera operator alerted patrol officers to a suspected drug deal near State and Grand in River North. Officers went to the area and saw Willis, who matched the description provided by the camera operator, according to a detention filing. The description included a yellow Pikachu backpack, the filing said…