A 23-year-old Rolling Meadows man will stay behind bars ahead of trial after Elmhurst police say they found a stolen handgun rigged to fire like a machine gun tucked under the driver’s seat of his car. Iziah Benavidez now faces a Class X felony charge for unlawful possession of a weapon-machine gun, along with burglary, retail theft, and felon-in-possession counts stemming from an August 18 traffic stop.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, the case began on August 9 when loss prevention personnel at the Kohl’s located at 303 S. Route 83 in Elmhurst reported that two male subjects had each taken a backpack from the store, concealed additional merchandise inside them, and left without paying. Elmhurst police also received information that Benavidez allegedly stole a battery charger from the same Kohl’s earlier that same day. The two subjects fled the scene in a Nissan, according to the state’s attorney’s office.
License Plate Tech Flags Return to the Scene
Elmhurst police used technology to alert officers when a known theft suspect returned to the scene of a prior crime, per the state’s attorney’s office account, which led officers to locate the Nissan allegedly used by the two individuals and conduct a traffic stop. Benavidez was identified as one of the two male subjects and was apprehended safely after exiting the vehicle, the office said.
Inside the car, officers reportedly found a loaded 10mm Glock 29 under the driver’s seat, fitted with a switch enabling automatic fire and a 24-round-capacity magazine. A second firearm, a 9mm pistol, was found in the glove compartment, and a battery charger was observed in plain view in the backseat of the Nissan, according to the state’s attorney’s office. FOX 32 Chicago has reported that the Glock 29 had been reported stolen to the Chicago Police Department in January 2026.
Charges Stack Up Under Illinois Statutes
Benavidez was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a weapon-machine gun, a Class X felony; one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony; one count of burglary, a Class 2 felony; and two counts of retail theft, one a Class 3 felony and one a misdemeanor. He was also cited for driving on a revoked license under Case No. 2026CF001686 following the arrest, according to a DuPage Mugshots post covering the case…