North Chicago man charged with gunrunning, ghost gun sales
Eric Raines-Sylvestre | Lake County Sheriff's Office
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - A North Chicago man faces more than 20 felony charges after a months-long investigation uncovered an illegal gun trafficking operation involving 3D-printed firearms and machine gun conversion kits, authorities said.
Eric Raines-Sylvestre, 20, was arrested without incident Monday after a traffic stop by detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group (SIG).
What we know:
The investigation began when SIG received a tip that Raines-Sylvestre was manufacturing and selling "ghost guns," firearms made with 3D printers that lack serial numbers, along with other weapons. Undercover detectives reportedly purchased 10 firearms and 26 machine gun conversion devices from Raines-Sylvestre over several months. Authorities said some of the guns were stolen from locations in Lake and Cook counties.
On May 9, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office presented the case to a Statewide Grand Jury, which indicted Raines-Sylvestre on multiple charges, including:
- Gunrunning
- Two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon
- Ten counts of unlawful sale of a firearm
- Nine counts of unlawful sale of an unserialized firearm
What they're saying:
"This case is a powerful example of what’s possible when agencies come together with a shared mission of keeping our communities safe," Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement. "Together, we’ve disrupted a dangerous operation and held an illegal firearms dealer accountable."
The operation was conducted in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Chicago Field Division.
What's next:
Raines-Sylvestre remains in custody at the Lake County Jail pending a detention hearing.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.