What started as a quick cannabis check on a southbound Red Line car ended with a loaded gun bust and a rider on electronic monitoring, according to the Cook County sheriff. Deputies say they spotted a man rolling what appeared to be a cannabis cigar on May 31, escorted him off at the 69th Street station, and then pulled a loaded handgun from his jacket. Prosecutors later signed off on an aggravated unlawful possession charge, and a judge ordered him into a pretrial electronic monitoring program. The sheriff’s office identified the man as Kenneth Stapleton and said he also had an active forgery warrant.
Arrest on the Red Line
In a Facebook post, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were doing “premise checks” on a Red Line train when they spotted Stapleton rolling a cigar filled with a green, leafy substance. When they walked him off the train at 69th Street, deputies recovered a loaded firearm from his jacket, the post states.
According to the sheriff, Stapleton did not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card or a concealed-carry license. The office said the Cook County State’s Attorney approved an aggravated unlawful possession charge and noted that Stapleton had an active forgery warrant at the time of the arrest.
What the law says
Illinois law requires most residents to have a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card to legally possess a gun. Carrying a concealed firearm without a valid license can bring aggravated unlawful use or possession charges, which can carry felony-level penalties…