Aurora gang member gets 9 years for gun possession
An Aurora man - whom authorities have identified as a gang member - has been sent to prison for unlawfully possessing a handgun.
Terrance D. Boyd, 21, of the 500 block of Spring Street, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon on June 11. On Thursday, Associate Judge Clint Hull sentenced Boyd to nine years in prison.
According to the Kane County State's Attorney's office, Aurora police stopped Boyd for a traffic violation around 9:15 p.m. Jan. 10. Boyd's girlfriend was riding in the front passenger seat of the 2008 Nissan Altima.
After the officer obtained Boyd's identification and was walking back to his vehicle, Boyd pulled a loaded .357-caliber revolver from his pants pocket and placed it in his girlfriend's purse on the front passenger floorboard, prosecutors said.
After officers learned that Boyd was on parole, they returned to the car to conduct a search, according to reports, and found the gun in the woman's purse.
Boyd acknowledged the gun was his, adding that he kept it as protection because he is a member of an Aurora street gang, according to a news release from the Kane County state's attorney's office.
Boyd was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2012 and was sentenced to boot camp and two years parole.
Boyd receives credit for the 183 days served in the Kane County jail, where he had been held since his arrest in lieu of $100,000 bail.