A police drone caught a 20-year-old man, who is a convicted felon on probation, ditching a loaded gun while running away from police officers in Waukegan, authorities said.
The Waukegan Police Department responded around 6:10 p.m. on September 6 to a residence in the 700 block of South Victory Street for a call of a disturbance.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Savannah Halcomb said dispatchers advised officers that there were approximately 10-15 people physically fighting, which was suspected to be gang-related.
Officers drove down the street and observed a male Hispanic suspect, later identified as Miguel A. Cortez, 20, of Waukegan, exiting the backseat of a vehicle and running on foot, Halcomb said.
He was holding his waistband with both hands. Cortez was eventually located and taken into custody.
A resident at one of the houses that Cortez ran past informed officers that he had located a firearm in his backyard, Halcomb said.
Officers deployed a drone to the scene when the call was initially dispatched.
Halcomb said the drone footage showed Cortez running away from officers, past a fence and grabbing a firearm from his waistband. He threw it over the fence into the backyard where it was located.
The Waukegan Police Department was conducting a Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program trial from September 2 through September 6, on the day the incident occurred.
The drone, monitored by an FAA-certified officer, is able to rapidly launch to calls from an automated station and see the scene before officers arrive. Department officials said it allows for improved officer safety, faster response and better resource management.
The firearm recovered was a silver Taurus 9mm with a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine inserted into the firearm.
Cortez told officers after his arrest that he ran from officers because he had an active warrant, Halcomb said. He has no Firearm Owner’s Identification card or concealed carry license.
He is facing charges of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon enhanced, felon in possession of a weapon enhanced, three counts aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting a peace officer.
Cortez is a convicted felon and is on probation for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a 2024 case. Halcomb said his latest arrest is his third gun case despite being under 21.
“The defendant has shown repeatedly that despite not being old enough and not having the proper licenses to possess a firearm, that he will continue to do so,” Halcomb said.
Cortez was arrested for his first firearms offense in January 2024. He was ordered detained on the case for a month before being released on pre-trial conditions.
He later pleaded guilty to a battery offense and had the gun charge dismissed by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Cortez was charged two months later with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon again and was ordered detained for the entirety of the case.
The state’s attorney’s office then allowed him to plead guilty in exchange for another probation sentence, which he is currently on.
“One of the conditions of his probation is to not possess any firearms. Further, the defendant has had a warrant outstanding on that case for a year. The defendant admits that he knew of the warrant. Not only did the defendant not take any steps to address this warrant, but he actively attempted to avoid being picked up on it by running when approached by officers,” Halcomb said.
A petition to revoke his probation was filed and says Cortez failed to perform community service, was cited for new offenses, failed to complete treatment according to an administrative sanction, failed to report to probation multiple times and tested positive for cannabis, Halcomb said.
Cortez is also on pre-trial release in a 2025 case for criminal trespass to vehicle and a warrant was outstanding in that case for almost a year. Cortez has failed to show up to a single court hearing in that case, Halcomb said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Cortez pending trial in his latest case and the request was granted by Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim during a detention hearing.
“The defendant is clearly unable to comply with court conditions, and has shown that he is a danger to the community both when released and when detained. There is no condition or combination of conditions that this defendant will actually abide by that will ensure the safety of the community,” Halcomb said.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said Cortez was carrying the loaded gun to the large middle-of-the-street brawl on a Sunday while families were enjoying Labor Day weekend.
“Nothing could be more dangerous to a mother or father when this defendant rolls through the neighborhood,” Katris said.
Cortez is scheduled to appear in court again on October 1 for a preliminary hearing.