Man held in Lake Co.weapons case

Brown said Waukegan police saw Richardson walking in an alley just after midnight Saturday while clutching his trench coat to his side and wearing a hat pulled down over his eyes.

When the officers called out for Richardson to stop, Brown said, Richardson turned around and began walking away from them.

The officers heard something drop to the ground as they went after Richardson, Brown said, and found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun where he had been walking.

When the officers caught up with Richardson, Brown said they discovered he was wearing a body armor vest.

A woman sitting in a car near the scene of the arrest identified herself as Richardson's girlfriend, Brown said, and told police she had been driving Richardson around as he looked for somebody to rob.

Police said they found ammunition and a case for a shotgun in the woman's car.

Richardson is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, which Brown said carry a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison in this case.

Brown said the penalties are enhanced for the crimes because Richardson was wearing body armor at the time he was arrested on charges of illegally carrying a weapon.

Brown said Richardson also is charged with being an armed habitual criminal, which carries a minimum sentence of six years in prison, because he has two prior convictions for unlawful use of a weapon.

During a bond hearing Saturday, Richardson began to argue about the charges against him with Associate Judge Michael Betar, then cursed at a deputy who told him to be quiet.

Other police officers in the room surrounded Richardson and he was taken from the courtroom without further incident.

Betar ordered Richardson to appear in court again Dec. 20.