Charges have been filed against a student who was found with a handgun in his car that was parked on campus at Antioch Community High School Tuesday.
Steven M. Garcia, 21, of Antioch, was charged with unauthorized possession or storage of a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor.
The Antioch Police Department said a scheduled administrative canine scent search at Antioch Community High School was conducted Tuesday morning.
A canine indicated a positive hit on Garcia’s vehicle, which was parked in the parking lot of the school, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris.
School staff located Garcia in the school and he was cooperative in the investigation.
Garcia admitted he had a firearm in the car and consented to a search, Katris said.
Officers recovered a 9mm Taurus handgun in the center console of Garcia’s car.
Katris said Garcia has a valid Firearm Owners Identification card.
There were dummy rounds in the magazine of the gun and a second magazine, which had real ammunition, was also found, Katris said.
Garcia was taken into custody and transported to the Antioch Police Department.
Antioch Village Communication Manager Jim Moran said there is no reason to believe there was ever a threat to students or staff at the school.
Garcia is a part-time student of the high school who participates in an alternative schooling program, Moran said.
Antioch Police Chief Geoffrey Guttschow said the discovery of the handgun in a student’s car shows that the periodic use of canine scent search teams works.
“I would like to recognize District 117 on its commitment to ensuring the safety of students at our high school,” Guttschow said.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Garcia held on a $350,000 bond.
The Antioch Police Department said they are committed to working together closely with District 117 officials to keep student safety a “top priority.”
Garcia is scheduled to appear in court again on April 17 for an arraignment hearing.
Garcia remains held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post $35,000 cash to be released.