Traffic stop leads to charges against four from Round Lake Beach

Four Round Lake Beach residents face felony charges after a traffic stop where police confiscated a handgun, authorities said Monday.

Officers pulled over a red 2010 Kia for speeding at 11:20 p.m. Friday on the 600 block of North Hainesville Road, authorities said.

After smelling a strong odor of marijuana in the vehicle, police searched the Kia and recovered a loaded .25 caliber semiautomatic handgun, marijuana, $2,290 in cash and an open container of alcohol, authorities said.

Alberto Lopez, 19, of the 1500 block of North Lake Shore Drive, and Cesar Padilla-Delgado, 19, of the 100 block of Ivy Court, face two felony charges of possession of a firearm with no firearm owner identification card. They remain held in Lake County jail on $20,000 bail.

Driver Ariana Pereida, 21, of the 1900 block of Cedar Lake Road, was charged with felony possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia, and passenger Gloria Padilla, 22, of the 100 block of Ivy Court, was charged with felony possession of cannabis and a misdemeanor count of open container of alcohol. authorities said. They were released from custody with citations.

Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko said the men were charged with gun possession because the recovered firearm was next to where they were sitting in the back seat of the vehicle.

Filenko also said police believe the firearm can be traced to an out-of-state theft.