Elgin man charged with selling AK-47 to undercover cop

An Elgin man has been charged with selling an AK-47 assault rifle to an undercover police officer, court records say.

Benjamin Tamayo, also known as Salvador Tamayo, 39, of 324 Raymond St., appeared in court Wednesday on charges that he sold the weapon on Aug. 7 for $1,300 in the parking lot at 3 Clock Tower Plaza.

He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, unlawful sale of a weapon by a felon and not having a firearm owner's identification card, police said.

The AK-47 can hold up to 100 rounds of ammunition, which can penetrate body armor. Police fear them falling into the hands of terrorists or street gang members due to the large number of people they can kill or wound in a short time.

Police said they determined Tamayo was the same person who had been convicted in Kane County of an obstruction of justice charge under the name of Salvador Tamayo. He had used numerous aliases in the past, police said.

In addition, Immigration and Customs Enforcement put a hold on him because he was deported on Feb. 8, 2002, by the same agency.

ICE agents said Tamayo had illegally entered the country after that.

Tamayo was unable to post a $10,000 bond, and even if he posts bond he will still have to face the ICE charge before he can be released.

He remains in the Kane County jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 9 at the Kane County Judicial Center.