Former Batavia Man Charged With Gun Offenses: State's Attorney

BATAVIA, IL — A 35-year-old former Batavia resident has been found guilty of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, among other charges, after an April 2020 incident where a loaded illegal gun was found in his truck, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office announced Monday.

At the time of his gun-related arrest, Frank E. Ryan was free on a $20,000 bond for a January 2020 charge of attempted murder, according to evidence presented by Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Lori Anderson. As a result of the bond, he was ordered to surrender any guns as well as his firearm owners identification card.

Early one morning a few months later, on April 9, Ryan got his pickup truck stuck in the mud behind a building in the 800 block of Hicks Drive in Elburn — near the home of the person he was charged with attempting to murder, according to prosecutors.

The tow truck driver Ryan called to help with his vehicle was suspicious of the location and called Elburn police, who found a loaded gun inside Ryan's pickup, officials said.

Ryan was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm with a revoked FOID card, a Class 3 felony; two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, Class 4 felonies; and violation of bail bond, another Class 4 felony.

"Thanks to the Elburn police for the thorough investigation, and to the alert tow truck driver who wisely made a report to the police when he sensed that something wasn’t right," Anderson said in a statement. "His actions might have saved someone’s life."

Judge David R. Kliment set the man's next court date for 1:30 p.m. on March 3 at the Kane County Judicial Center. Until then, Ryan will remain in custody at the Kane County jail.

Ryan, of the 300 block of North Cedar Street in Waterman and a former resident of Batavia, waived his right to a jury trial, so his case will proceed to a bench trial before a judge alone, officials said.