generic Kewanee Police seize 'ghost gun,' methamphetamine; arrest Kewanee, Galva men in traffic stops
Kewanee Police arrested two men last week during traffic stops on April 6 and 7, seizing two guns – including a suspected "ghost gun" – and methamphetamine.
The April 6 traffic stop near the intersection of Grove Street and Odea Street in Kewanee.
A KPD Street Crimes Unit detective stopped the vehicle for having suspended registration. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a small amount of both cannabis and methamphetamine residue in addition to a 9mm handgun with a tactical light and no serial number.
The handgun is believed to be a suspected “ghost gun," a firearm that is privately assembled and untraceable.
More: Merrick Garland: Ghost guns are real guns. And we'll regulate them to save lives.
The driver of the vehicle, Kevin Miller, 30, of Kewanee, was arrested for possession of the gun. He was eventually released with a notice to appear for unlawful use of a weapon (Class A Misdemeanor), unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (Class 3 Felony), and multiple traffic citations. The charge for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon carries a potential sentence of 2-10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Miller received a court time of 1 p.m. May 9 for all charges.
The April 7 traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a passenger later identified as Gage Huffman. 18, of Galva.
More: Kewanee police arrest burglar and owner of robbed house on long list of drug, weapons charges
A KPD Street Crimes Detective stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of East Second Street in Kewanee for traffic violations. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded silver 9mm handgun with the serial number defaced, two additional loaded magazines, several rounds of loose 9mm ammunition, drug packaging, a digital scale and approximately one ounce of suspected methamphetamine.
More: Kewanee police arrest woman for selling prescription drugs to juvenile
Huffman was placed under arrest and transported to the Kewanee Police Department. He was eventually transferred to the Henry County Jail. Huffman was charged with the preliminary offenses of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number (Class 3 Felony), and 3 counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (Class 4 Felonies). The Class 3 Felony carries a potential sentence of 2-5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Charges are pending for the suspected methamphetamine as it was sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for further testing. His bond was set at $100,000. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 2 p.m. April 18 in the Henry County Courthouse.
This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Kewanee Police seize 'ghost gun,' meth in traffic stops last week
