Dupage Policy Journal

In DuPage County, the prevalence of felons possessing firearms is experiencing a significant rise, as indicated by a notable increase in cases, according to DuPage State’s Attorney Bob Berlin.

The number of such cases surged from 41 in 2019 to 121 in the following year, and this upward trend has persisted into 2023.

“That's a disturbing trend that we're seeing. The good news is, is that the police are doing their job and they're arresting these people and we are prosecuting them," Berlin told ABC 7. "It's a complete lack of respect for the law. These are people, who because they're convicted felons, cannot possess a gun. And yet, they do. And, they're driving around.” 

DuPage County in Illinois is grappling with a concerning increase in the presence of convicted criminals carrying firearms illegally. Berlin and others have expressed alarm over the influx of felons with unlawful guns from outside the county. In a recent incident, 27-year-old Donameen Jones, a convicted felon in possession of a gun, was fatally shot in Oak Brook, marking the first murder in the area since 2011. Investigations are underway to identify the offenders and establish motives for this targeted attack.

Indeed, Berlin has been busy charging felons in possession of firearms. In May, Berlin charged Travis Peery, a convicted felon from Chicago, with unlawful possession of a weapon connected to a 2021 shooting at the former Indian Lakes Country Club. Authorities allegedly found Peery's DNA on the weapon, and a YouTube video recorded at the hotel that night showed him holding the firearm used in the shooting. The bond was set at $300,000, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing, the County of DuPage announced. Berlin commended the law enforcement agencies involved and emphasized that Peery is prohibited from owning or possessing any firearm as a convicted felon.

Berlin reiterated his feeling on the issue in 2022.

“To be blunt, the message coming from DuPage County is crystal clear, felons who illegally possess a gun will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in regard to a case of a Chicago felon who was caught with a gun in DuPage County, DuPage Policy Journal reported.