Ottawa drug, gun suspect granted pretrial release

Drug agents said they seized a pair of 9 mm pistols, 34 grams (.07 pounds) of purported cocaine and 151 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms. The man charged in connection with the seizure was granted release from the La Salle County Jail – for now, anyway.

Preston R. Dunning, 25, of Ottawa appeared Tuesday in La Salle County Circuit Court and was granted pretrial release even though one of his charges is a Class X felony carrying a sentence of up to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation.

Under the SAFE-T Act, however, all defendants have a presumption of pretrial release. Class X felony suspects are thus eligible for release.

According to court records, the guns and drugs were seized in a March 23 drug raid of Dunning’s residence. The Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team seized a volume of drugs “indicative of an individual’s intent to distribute.” The handguns “were test-fired and found to be operable.”

The La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office did not comment directly on the facts of the case, citing Illinois Supreme Court rules that the prohibit law enforcement from commenting on active investigations.

However, First Assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney Jason Goode said the case remains under review and additional charges may be forthcoming. Detention could be revisited later.