A Wheaton man, Jermaine Morris, with a history of felony convictions, has been denied pre-trial release after being charged with illegal firearms possession and related offenses. According to information provided by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office, Morris, 24, allegedly had multiple firearms in his possession, including a stolen Ruger 22 Charger rifle with a drum magazine and a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun.
The circumstances leading to Morris’s arrest unfolded when the Maywood Police Department received a report of a vehicle theft in early October. Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle nearby and subsequently executed a search warrant at his Wheaton residence. There, incidents of surprise converted into solid evidence, as police found not only firearms but also burglary tools and thirteen cell phones among other items. State’s Attorney Robert Berlin was quoted as saying, “Public safety remains the cornerstone of my office and the allegation that Mr. Morris unlawfully possessed multiple, dangerous weapons is outrageous.” Berlin stressed that Morris, with prior felony convictions, is barred from legally owning firearms and vowed to apply the full force of the law.
Chief of Police P.J. Youker echoed this sentiment of inter-agency collaboration being key to the case. “Removing dangerous criminals from our communities is a team effort,” Youker affirmed, also acknowledging the Wheaton Police Department’s Investigations Unit and detectives from the Maywood Police Department for their commitment to the investigation…