Earlville man sentenced to one year in prison for possession of loaded weapon – Shaw Local

An Earlville man was sentenced to one year in prison Wednesday for carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle for which he did not have a concealed carry permit.

Levi J. Hernandez, 19, of Earlville, appeared in La Salle County District Court on August 9 and pleaded to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 felony that carries a sentence of up to three years in prison but no possibility of parole.

On Wednesday, lawyers said Hernandez would serve the minimum sentence. Hernandez, who apologized when given the opportunity to speak, had no criminal history.

Peruvian defense attorney George Leynaud said Hernandez had accumulated numerous detention points and only had to serve two months in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Despite the reduced sentence, Leynaud regretted that a prison sentence was a necessary consequence. The legislature had excluded parole in such cases and did so shortly before Hernandez was charged.

Hernandez was charged after La Salle County Sheriff's officers responded to reports of a drive-by shooting on March 4, 2023. No such incident occurred—an air rifle was fired—but a subsequent traffic stop resulted in the seizure of a 9mm pistol and two magazines, one containing 30 rounds, in a backpack.

Although the gun belonged to a family member, Hernandez admitted to owning the backpack. He did not have a concealed carry permit or a firearms license.