Man faces weapons charges after alleged incident at Downers Grove gas station

A DuPage County judge on Thursday granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Bolingbrook man accused of illegally possessing a loaded rifle as well as an unloaded handgun.

Gordon Martin, 23, of the 200 block of Dakota Court, appeared at First Appearance Court Nov. 2 charged with two counts of unlawful use or possession of weapons by a felon and one count of defacing identification marks of firearms, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release. Martin is also charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI, according to the release.

About 7:38 p.m. Nov. 1, Downers Grove police officers responded to a call at the Shell Gas station located at 2212 Ogden Ave., for an individual, later identified as Martin, who was over-filling his gas tank. Upon their arrival, officers saw that both tires on the passenger side of Martin’s vehicle were completely deflated and the vehicle was missing its front bumper, which was later found at the intersection of Cross Street and Warrenville Road with a portion of the license plate still attached, according to the release.

After Martin was placed under arrest for suspected DUI, an assisting officer searched his vehicle and allegedly located a Palmetto .223/5.56 caliber rifle behind the driver’s seat with a loaded magazine and one bullet in the chamber. The officer also found a Glock 23, .40 caliber handgun with a defaced serial number under the driver’s seat and a magazine for the gun in the center console, according to the report.Martin, who has a prior conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, has neither a FOID card nor a concealed carry license. It is further alleged that Martin’s BAC was a 0.172, according to the report.

“The danger posed to the public when a convicted felon is found to be in possession of a weapon, let alone a loaded rifle as alleged in this case, is obvious and will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “The law is very clear, as a convicted felon who is ineligible for both a FOID card or a CCL, Mr. Martin is prohibited from owning a firearm and there is absolutely no justification that would allow him to do so, as alleged in this case.”

Martin’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 16 for arraignment.