Smell Of Weed Leads Cops To Ecstasy, Gun

EVANSTON, IL — A Chicago man faces several gun and drug felony charges following an encounter with detectives from the Evanston Police Department's tactical unit near the Howard Street station, police said. Officers found a loaded .40 caliber handgun and 23 pills of suspected MDMA after pulling over the man and a female companion, smelling marijuana and searching the car, according to police.

Kwame Skillom, 28, of the 7700 block of North Paulina Street in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, all felonies. He also faces two misdemeanor counts of possession of a handgun and ammunition without a FOID card.

Detectives were on routine patrol when they pulled over a black Dodge SUV driven by Skillom around the 300 block of West Howard Street after it fail to signal when required, according to Cmdr. Ryan Glew. After investigating the source of the "odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle," police wound up finding less than 1 gram of weed.

However, police said a search of the SUV and its passengers turned up a loaded Sig Sauer .40 caliber handgun under the driver's seat and 23 green pills in Skillom's possession.

Police said the pills field tested positive for MDMA and Skillom admitted the gun, pills and cannabis belonged to him. The woman riding along with him was not charged.

Skillom was ordered held at Cook County Jail in lieu of 10 percent of a $100,000 bond ahead of his next appearance on court on Sept. 13. According to the sheriff's office, he remained detained Wednesday.