Elgin man found guilty of gang shooting

An Elgin man faces up to 30 years in prison after he was convicted of shooting at a rival gang member in Carpentersville.

A Kane County jury convicted Leopoldo Cantu Jr., 24, of the 1600 block of Alison Drive, late Wednesday of one count of armed violence, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Prosecutors said jurors deliberated about two hours. Cantu was one of three men charged in connection with a March 20, 2009, shooting on the 700 block of Southwind Drive. Prosecutors said he opened fire in the direction of a rival gang member's home from the front passenger seat of a sport utility vehicle.

No one was injured but two vehicles were struck in the shooting, which followed an exchange of gang signs between three men in the SUV and rival gang members standing in front of the Carpentersville home, prosecutors said.

Police arrested Cantu and co-defendants Julio Chavez, 22, and Miguel A. Munoz, 24, both of Carpentersville, less than two miles away. Prosecutors said ballistics tests later showed a bullet retrieved from one of the vehicles hit in the shooting was consistent with a weapon found in the SUV.

Cantu faces 20 to 30 years in prison at sentencing Dec. 3 in front of Associate Judge Allen M. Anderson. Chavez and Munoz remain charged and are due back in court Nov. 3 and Dec. 9, respectively.