Indiana man gets 12-year prison sentence on Kane County gun charges

An Indiana man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison on gun charges stemming from his arrest during a traffic stop in Kane County.

Lorenzo J. Garcia, 33, of East Chicago was convicted by a jury in July of being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of a weapon -- machine gun, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon and possession of a firearm without firearm owners identification.

Illinois State Police arrested Garcia on March 26, after a pickup truck in which he was a passenger was stopped for a traffic violation along Interstate 90.

A trooper reported seeing evidence of drugs in the vehicle and told occupants he was going to search it. Police said they subsequently found a loaded Glock handgun that had been converted into a fully automatic weapon in between the passenger seat and center console.

Three loaded ammunition magazines were found in the glove compartment, and one of Garcia's fingerprints was on the gun, authorities said.

Garcia will have to serve at least 85% of the sentence before being eligible for parole. He received credit for the 184 days he has been held in the Kane County jail since his arrest.