Hundreds of guns seized in Mundelein

Police investigating illegal gun sales in Mundelein seized 636 handguns and rifles from a local home, authorities said Monday.

Michael P. Sonka, 55, of 910 Granville Road, had been selling guns at his house, police said. He was arrested Friday after an undercover officer purchased three 9 mm handguns and five boxes of ammunition from him, police said.

Sonka was charged with felony gunrunning.

Sonka once had a federal firearms license that allowed him to sell guns, but the permit had expired, Mundelein Police Chief Raymond J. Rose said. He never had a village permit to run a business at his home, Rose said.

Police learned Sonka was selling guns several months ago and warned him to stop, but he refused, Rose said.

"He didn't heed the warnings that we were trying to give him," Rose said.

Mundelein police teamed with the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group to investigate Sonka's operation, police said. That culminated with Friday's undercover deal, in which Sonka sold the guns and ammunition to an officer without waiting three days as required by law or completing a documentation process, police said.

Sonka was released from Lake County jail Saturday on his own recognizance.

Reached at home Monday, Sonka called the charge "trumped up."

"I've never done anything wrong," he said. "They knew I had guns here, and they were determined to get them out of here."