A man has been sentenced to one year in prison for possessing a gun at a Mexican Independence Day parade in Waukegan while on probation for another gun charge.
Luis A. Flores, 21, of Waukegan, was charged in September with four counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, resisting a peace officer causing injury, obstructing identification, resisting a peace officer, disorderly conduct and mob action.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said during an initial court hearing Flores and a group of friends were at the Mexican Independence Day parade on September 17 in Waukegan.
The group began flashing gang signs at other gang members.
The groups began getting ready to fight and police moved in to attempt to arrest the suspects, Katris said.
An officer on a bicycle chased after Flores but fell to the ground, resulting in an injury to the officer.
Officers caught Flores and he was found with a revolver in his possession, Katris said.
It was fully loaded and he did not have a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card or a concealed carry license. He was also under 21.
Katris said the parade is a community event where residents and visitors come to celebrate Mexican Independence, calling Flores’ actions “reckless” and saying he is a threat to the community.
Court records show Flores was on felony probation and in the first-time gun offender program after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, an offense that occurred in April 2021 in Waukegan.
Prosecutors filed a petition to detain Flores in the Lake County Jail following his arrest and the petition was granted.
Attorney Robert T. Ritacca, who represented Flores, said during the initial court hearing that his client was at the parade with his family when a fight began.
Court records show Flores pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 felony, last month.
He was sentenced to one year in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) pursuant to a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Also part of the plea deal, prosecutors will not be seeking to have Flores be re-sentenced in his first gun case for violating his probation.
Flores faced up to six years in prison combined on the two gun cases.
He received 130 days of credit for time already served in custody. IDOC has not reported a projected parole date yet but his attorney said Flores is expected to be released this coming week.