Earlville man faces prison for no-permit pistol

An Earlville man is headed to prison after pleading guilty Friday to having a loaded pistol, for which he had no concealed carry permit, inside a vehicle.

Levi J. Hernandez, 19, of Earlville appeared Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 felony carrying up to three years in prison but no possibility of probation.

Hernandez entered a blind plea, but attorneys advised Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia that they will present an agreed-upon sentence at a hearing set for Wednesday, Aug. 21. Hernandez will have an opportunity to address the judge before he’s remanded to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Hernandez was charged after La Salle County sheriff’s deputies responded March 4, 2023, to reports of a drive-by shooting. No such incident occurred – it was a BB gun that was discharged – but an ensuing traffic stop resulted in the seizure of a 9-mm pistol and two magazines, one of them holding 30 rounds, in a backpack.

Although the pistol belonged to a family member, Hernandez admitted to possessing the backpack. He had neither a concealed carry permit nor a firearm owner’s identification card.