A man has been sentenced to probation after he fired multiple shots outside of a home occupied by small children in Beach Park and was later found with two guns.
Jesus Machuca-Barragan, 20, of Beach Park, was charged in December with three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm.
The charges stemmed from a shooting the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to around 10:30 p.m. on December 5 in the 12200 block of West 29th Street in Beach Park.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and learned Machuca-Barragan, who resides at the residence, had been in an argument with his acquaintance, who also lives at the residence, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Machuca-Barragan left the home just before sheriff’s deputies arrived.
Covelli said Machuca-Barragan, before driving away in a vehicle, fired a gun multiple times from the car.
“It is unclear why or where Machuca-Barragan was shooting, as no bullet holes were located,” Covelli said at the time.
Lake County sheriff’s dispatchers issued an area-wide radio broadcast to inform local police agencies of the situation.
Machuca-Barragan’s description and a description of the vehicle he was driving were provided.
He was located a short time later by the Waukegan Police Department at a gas station in the area of Belvidere Road and Jackson Street in Waukegan.
Covelli said Machuca-Barragan was taken into custody by Waukegan police officers and found to be in possession of a pistol.
Sheriff’s deputies located a second pistol in Machuca-Barragan’s vehicle, along with five spent shell casings.
Small children were inside the home during the incident and the sheriff’s office notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services about the incident, Covelli said.
Machuca-Barragan was transported to the Lake County Jail and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges against him.
He also had an active warrant for failing to appear in court for a driving under the influence case.
The state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain Machuca-Barragan in custody while awaiting trial and he has been held in the Lake County Jail since his arrest.
Court records show Machuca-Barragan entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office on Monday.
He pleaded guilty to one count of reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony, in exchange for a 12-month probation sentence, which was accepted by a judge.
A jail sentence of 180 days was considered served and Machuca-Barragan was released from the jail upon the plea due to having 110 days of credit for time already served awaiting trial.
Machuca-Barragan was also ordered not to consume illegal drugs or alcohol, not to possess weapons, complete 100 hours of public service and submit to random substance testing.