'Ghost Gun' With Extended Magazine Found During Traffic Stop Of Evanston Teen: Police

EVANSTON, IL — Prosecutors approved a felony charge against an Evanston teen after police reported they found a "ghost gun" in his car during a traffic stop Monday.

Sidney Akinde, 18, of the 3300 block of Culver Street, faces one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, as well as misdemeanor counts of driving without a valid license and possession of ammunition without a firearm owners identification card.

Around 2 p.m., an Evanston police sergeant on traffic patrol near the intersection of Harrison Street and Crawford Avenue noticed a Chevrolet headed south on Crawford with no front or back license plate, according to police and prosecutors.

As the officer followed the sedan, it sped up until it was going 53 mph in a 35-mph zone. The driver did not slow down after the officer turned on their emergency lights, according to Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Collin DeBrabander.

After the officer turned on the siren in their patrol car, the Chevy drove another two blocks and eventually pulled over, the prosecutor said.

Akinde, the driver and sole occupant of the car, was reaching across the passenger seat and "depositing an unknown black item in the glove box" as the sergeant approached, according to DeBrabander.

He also told the officer that there was "'something in there' that was taken apart," DeBrabander said. When asked what was in the glove box, Akinde declined to answer, although he did admit that he did not have a driver's license, the prosecutor said.

Police reported the sergeant found an unassembled semi-automatic 9 mm handgun, with a frame, slide and a loaded extended magazine.

According to prosecutors, the magazine contained 23 live rounds of both hollow-point and ball ammunition. There was also a loose round of ammunition found on the passenger floorboard.

"The gun had a handgun polymer grip with no serial number, commonly referred to as a 'ghost gun,'" DeBrabander said.

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In addition to the gun charges, police said they issued Akinde several traffic citations.

DeBrabander said Akinde had no prior criminal record in Illinois, but he is facing pending misdemeanor charges in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.

According to court records there, Akinde pleaded no contest and received a deferred prosecution agreement last month after he was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with an October 2021 incident.

According to Assistant Public Defender Greg Kobus, Akinde lives in Evanston and has completed 11th grade.

Cook County Associate Judge Frank Androu ordered Akinde to be jailed ahead of his next court date May 11 unless he can post the $1,500 cash portion of his bond. If he does, he was ordered to stay at home from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and not possess any weapons.