Man With Stolen Gun Nabbed In Willowbrook: Cops

WILLOWBROOK, IL – A man with a stolen handgun and a quarter pound of marijuana was arrested last week in Willowbrook, authorities said. He faced similar charges in Cook County the same day.

Lamarcus Washington, 38, of Lake Zurich, was arrested after being pulled over about 8 p.m. Thursday.

An officer saw what was considered a suspicious car with out-of-state license plates leave Econo Lodge, 820 W. 79th St., according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. The driver, identified as Washington, was seen not wearing a seat belt.

After Washington was pulled over, an officer detected an odor of marijuana coming out of the car, prosecutors said. During a search of the car, the officer found a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun with one round in the chamber, they said.

The gun was reported stolen in Chicago.

Washington was out on a $3,000 bond in Cook County on charges of being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, delivery of a controlled substance and marijuana possession.

Authorities said they also learned that Washington was in Cook County Court on his pending charges earlier the same day he was arrested in Willowbrook.

Washington was denied bail in DuPage County, prosecutors said.

"This is the second time in as many days and the fifth time within one month that a DuPage County judge has denied bail for a defendant accused of serious crimes," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Again, the message coming from DuPage County is crystal clear, career criminals are not welcome."

In DuPage County, Washington was charged with being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and obstruction of justice.