Dispute In Police Station Lot Lands Evanston Man In DuPage County Jail

WHEATON, IL — An Evanston felon faces five fresh firearm felonies after he threatened to kill a man in the parking lot of a police department in DuPage County, authorities said.

Nicholas Mayfield, 31, of the 1000 block of Darrow Avenue, was charged with armed habitual criminal, unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to police and prosecutors.

Mayfield got into an argument on Aug. 1 with a man in the parking lot of the Carol Stream Police Department, authorities said, noting that a friend of Mayfield had been charged with battering the other man.

"I'll kill you right here," Mayfield told the man, as he gestured toward his waistband to indicate he had a gun, according to a statement from police and prosecutors.

Authorities said the other man drove away but soon returned to the parking lot of the village's police department, where he and Mayfield got into another argument.

When Carol Stream police broke up the dispute, they were told Mayfield had threatened the other man, according to police and prosecutors.

The owner of the car in which Mayfield was riding gave officers permission to search it, authorities said. Police reported finding a loaded Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol with a bullet in the chamber, which prosecutors allege Mayfield possessed.

A judge issued a warrant for Mayfield on Aug. 5, prosecutors said. He was later arrested by U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and booked into DuPage County Jail Wednesday.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin thanked Carol Stream police for their efforts in allegedly taking an illegal gun from a convicted felon and prosecutors in his office for preparing a strong case against the Evanston resident.

“As a convicted felon, Mr. Mayfield is prohibited from ever owning or possessing a firearm,” Berlin said. “It is alleged however, that instead of conducting himself within the legal limitations placed upon him due to his multiple felony convictions, Mr. Mayfield thumbed his nose once again at the law and decided to not only illegally arm himself, but also threaten to kill another human being."

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Armed habitual criminal — the crime of committing a firearm offense after having been previously convicted of at least two serious crimes — is a class X felony that carries a minimum sentence of six years in state prison.

"As I have said before, we will use every tool at our disposal to aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone who would commit a crime while in DuPage County. I thank the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force for their truly outstanding work in locating and apprehending the defendant in this case."

At a bond hearing Thursday, prosecutors sought to have Mayfield held without bail. Instead, Associate Judge Ann Celine O'Hallaren Walsh ordered Mayfield held unless he can post the $25,000 cash portion of his bond.

Mayfield is due back in court Sept. 29 for his arraignment, where he will have an opportunity to enter a plea to the charges.

Carol Stream Chief of Police Bill Holmer said in a statement that law enforcement stood with the county prosecutor's office.

"We can’t tolerate this kind of criminal activity in our communities,” Holmer said. “I commend the Carol Stream Police Officers for their work to put together a strong case for the State’s Attorney, along with the Marshals Task Force for their assistance."