Wauconda felon charged with illegal possession of machine gun, ammo

A felon who resides in Wauconda was charged Friday with illegally possessing a machine gun, silencers and ammunition.

Gregory Domenico, 35, was charged with one count of illegal possession of ammunition by a felon and one count of illegal possession of an unregistered machine gun and three silencers.

Domenico possessed the gun, silencers and five rifle cartridges at his home in December and January, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Authorities arrested Domenico on Thursday and carried out a court-authorized search of his home.

Domenico made an initial court appearance Friday and was ordered to remain in federal custody. A detention hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 27.

According to the complaint, an undercover law enforcement officer bought unregistered firearm parts from Domenico at his home: two silencers on Dec. 13; a silencer and an auto-sear, designed to convert a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun, on Dec. 18; and five rifle cartridges on Jan. 22.

As a felon, Domenico could not legally possess a firearm, firearm parts, or ammunition. According to the complaint, he has never held a federal firearms license nor registered the possession or transfer of any items with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record.

The case was investigated by the Lake County Gang Crimes Task Force.