Chicago police seized six handguns and arrested six men after a traffic stop in River North led cops to explore a nearby hotel guest room, prosecutors said. Felony gun charges have been filed against all of the men.
The investigation began with a traffic stop around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when police stopped 20-year-old Nauledge McNear as he drove near the 600 block of North State, according to prosecutors and CPD records. Also in McNear’s car were Nicolas Sykes, 25, and Robert McNear, 22.
Prosecutors said Nauledge McNear didn’t have a driver’s license, but he was carrying $2,737 cash and had a gun under his driver’s seat. Police found another gun under Syke’s seat, and a third loaded gun was found in Robert McNear’s waistband, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Franka D’Antignac.
Robert McNear was also held on a 17-count Ohio arrest warrant that includes charges of “engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity,” a financial crime.
As police impounded the car the men were allegedly riding in, they found a shoebox in the trunk with Robert McNear’s ID, debit cards issued to different names, and a key to a room at the Eurostars Magnificent Mile Hotel, 660 North State, D’Antignac said.
Cops went to the room and found six men inside, D’Antignac continued.
Donald Jones, 20, was on the couch when cops walked in. He stood up, and police allegedly found a handgun where he was sitting.
Marcus Taylor, 33, was also sitting on the couch, D’Antignac said. Police allegedly found a handgun where he was sitting, too.
Leon Baker, 28, was lying on the bed. When cops asked him if he had a gun, he admitted he did, and police recovered a stolen pistol from his jacket pocket, according to D’Antignac. He was also carrying $1,820 cash, she said.
Sykes, who went to prison for one year in 2019 on a gun charge and for six years in 2015 for unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member, is charged with Class X armed habitual criminal. Judge Mary Marubio ordered him held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Nauledge McNear, charged with unlawful use of a weapon, was ordered held on $3,000 bail.
Prosecutors charged Baker with possession of a stolen firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Marubio set his bail at $30,000.
Jones, who has no previous arrests, was held in lieu of $3,000 bail on a charge of unlawful use of a weapon.
Taylor’s bail was set at $5,000 on a felony unlawful use of a weapon charge.
The men need to post 10% of their bail amounts to be released from custody.
In a separate hearing, Judge Charles Beach ordered Robert McNear held without bail on the Ohio warrant. Beach set bail in the new gun case at $10,000 and ordered him to go on electronic monitoring if he becomes eligible for release.
Sunday’s arrests are part of an on-going pattern of gun seizures by police on and near the Magnificent Mile. Cops arrested nearly one adult per day for illegal gun possession during December.
Police arrested 20 adults for gun crimes in the area during January, eleven in February and, now, at least nine arrests for guns so far during March.
