Loaded Gun, Narcotics Found In Man's Car In Naperville: Cops

NAPERVILLE, IL — Police say they found narcotics and a loaded gun in a Joliet man's car at Top Golf in Naperville Monday. Darron Prince, 36, of Joliet, was charged with armed violence and armed habitual criminal in connection with the incident.

According to police, Prince had previously been convicted of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member. He also has pending armed habitual criminal and theft cases in Will County.

An officer reported smelling cannabis coming from an unoccupied SUV that was parked at TopGolf, 3211 Odyssey Ct. Police say the officer saw a gun "protruding from the driver's side door frame" of the car, per a news release.

Police say Prince came back to the car about an hour later and tried to conceal the gun after he saw officers had turned on the emergency lights on their squad cars. Officers ordered Prince to stop and he was subsequently taken into custody.

Officers reported finding the following items in Prince's SUV:

• Glock 42 handgun
• 40 grams of cannabis
• 19 grams of heroin
• 12 grams of cocaine
• 1.2 grams of mushrooms
• 1 MDMA pill

“With multiple felony convictions, there is absolutely no justification whatsoever why Mr. Prince was in possession of a loaded firearm, as alleged in this case,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "The allegations that he was in possession of a loaded weapon at a family-friendly recreation facility are extremely troubling and if found guilty of today’s charges, he will find himself facing a significant amount of time behind bars."

Prince was denied bond and is being held in DuPage County Jail. He is set to be arraigned Sept. 27.