Carnell D. Wesson, 31, of Zion.

A judge sentenced a convicted felon to 40 years in prison for a shootout in Waukegan while he was on bond for illegally possessing guns in Zion. Prosecutors called him the “epitome of a danger” to Lake County.

Carnell D. Wesson, 31, of Zion, was charged in March 2022 with armed habitual criminal, three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Officers with the Zion Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in March 2022.

Wesson was a passenger in the vehicle during the stop and fled into a nearby home, prosecutors said.

A search of the vehicle was conducted and officers located two firearms under the driver’s seat.

Prosecutors said Wesson eventually came out of the home and officers took him into custody.

Police officers testified during a September 2023 trial that they observed the backseat passenger, Wesson, appear to reach into the front area of the vehicle and hand something to the driver prior to officers approaching the car.

Forensic witnesses called by prosecutors testified that Wesson’s DNA was found on one of the guns recovered by police.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty for one count of armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony.

The jury found Wesson not guilty on the charges alleging he possessed the second gun recovered.

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Attorney Robert T. Ritacca, who represents Wesson, told Lake and McHenry County Scanner at the time that he requested a mistrial after the jury, during their deliberations, found a small amount of marijuana in the bag where the guns were found.

Ritacca said he did not know how the police failed to thoroughly search the bag or how it made it all the way to the jury room without inspection.

Wesson posted 10% of a $150,000 bond following his arrest in the case. While out on bond, he was charged with armed habitual criminal, aggravated discharge of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges stemmed from a shooting near Cornelia Avenue and Drew Lane in Waukegan around 7:30 p.m. on December 12, 2022.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffery Facklam said that Wesson was identified by witnesses as being at the scene.

Wesson reportedly got into an argument with another man just prior to the gunshots being heard.

13 shell casings were located at the scene and the two men suffered gunshot wounds. Wesson was seriously injured and hospitalized for a month.

The incident was captured on surveillance camera and a person wearing clothes matching Wesson’s clothing was seen firing a gun, Facklam said.

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Facklam said it is unclear who fired their gun first, Wesson or the other man, but witnesses described Wesson as being the one who was upset and arguing with the man just prior to the shooting.

The surveillance footage showed a silver car entering the parking lot and Wesson approached the car.

The video shows Wesson and an individual inside the silver car interacting before Wesson jumps back, raises his arms and fires a gun.

Prosecutors said Wesson fired 12 of the 13 spent casings recovered in the parking lot. Wesson then ran to a nearby SUV that fled the scene.

After Wesson was charged in that case, a judge ordered him held on a $1.25 million bond, which was revoked after his guilty verdict in the Zion case.

In late October, Wesson was convicted by a jury of one count of armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony, in connection with the Waukegan case.

A sentencing hearing for both cases was held on Friday in front of Lake County Judge D. Christopher Lombardo.

Lombardo considered evidence in aggravation from two state witnesses, one of whom described a violent altercation involving Wesson and another inmate while in custody.

The second witness testified to Wesson’s affiliation with a street gang.

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Facklam and Assistant State’s Attorney Don Tyer argued that Wesson was the “epitome of a danger” to Lake County and that Wesson’s sentences for the two separate incidents needed to be consecutive to protect the community.

Prosecutors said that Wesson’s “dangerous behavior” is evident through his lengthy criminal history and his gang affiliation.

They asked Wesson to be sentenced to 30-40 years combined for both offenses.

Lombardo ruled that consecutive sentences were necessary to keep the community safe and sentenced Wesson to 40 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) — 15 years for the March 2022 incident and 25 years for the December 2022 incident.

Wesson will receive 855 days credit for time served and the sentence will be served at 85%. Wesson faced up to 60 years in prison.

“Our very experienced prosecutors continue to hold repeat gun offenders accountable through successful trials and sentencing hearings. This offender, in particular, demonstrated his danger to the community while committing offenses after posting cash bail in 2022,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said after the sentencing hearing.

“Our police partners throughout Lake County are continuing to do an excellent job of solving shootings and making arrests for illegal weapon possession,” Rinehart said.