Beach Park man pleads not guilty to new gun charges

A Beach Park man already accused of illegal gun use this year - including allegations he stepped out of a car with a gun during a traffic stop this spring - pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the most recent felony charges against him.

Quentin Newbrey, 34, of the 38700 block of North Sheridan Road, was charged this month with being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful firearm sale and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

The allegations date back to March, court documents state.

Judge Victoria Rossetti told Newbrey that the armed habitual criminal counts carry a punishment of up to 30 years in prison followed by three years of parole.

The charges stem from an effort led by the Lake County sheriff's office to go after a specific street gang. Police said the arrests of Newbrey and seven other men earlier this month mostly dismantled the gang and included the seizure of drugs with a street value of nearly $500,000.

In addition to the recent charges, Newbrey was charged in May with three counts of felony unlawful possession of a firearm and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and reckless driving after, police said, he stepped out of a vehicle with a gun during a traffic stop.

Newbrey dropped the weapon when ordered to by a sheriff's deputy, but then urinated on the side of the mobile home, authorities said. The deputy shot Newbrey with a Taser and took him into custody, police said.

Newbrey is scheduled to return to court Sept. 20.