Cardenas Lands In Will County Jail: Judge Ewanic Hears Evidence Of Joliet's East Side Shooting

JOLIET, IL — One month after Joliet Patch reported on the arrest of 19-year-old Joliet resident Manuel Cardenas, the Will County State's Attorney's Office has moved ahead with gun and shooting charges and the prosecution's petition to deny pretrial release was successful.

After hearing the prosecution's evidence, Will County Judge Derek Ewanic has ordered the indefinite detention of Cardenas under the SAFE-T-Act.

The Joliet Police Department's criminal complaint charged Cardenas with possessing a gun without a FOID card, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, reckless discharge of a gun, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, alprazolam, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

According to the petition to deny Cardenas his pretrial release, at 11:52 p.m. Sept. 29, on-duty Joliet police officers near Fourth Avenue and Richards Street heard gunshots to the east.

They drove in that direction and encountered two vehicles leaving in a high rate of speed. Officers pulled over both cars and Cardenas was one of the drivers.

"During the investigative encounter, the handle of a black handgun was observed under the driver's seat near the defendant's foot," prosecutors revealed. "The .357 caliber handgun was recovered with a live round in the chamber and another live round in the magazine."

Judge Ewanic learned that Cardenas is 19 years old and does not have a valid FOID card, nor does he have a valid Concealed Carry License. After his arrest, Joliet police searched the car and discovered a black bag that contained a bottle of alprazolam and 21 grams of cannabis, court files show.

Also, spent .357 casings were recovered near Rowell Avenue and Linden Avenue, and there are houses in that area.

"The defendant, post Miranda, admitted to placing the handgun under the seat and admitted the Xanax/alprazolam was his," prosecutors told Judge Ewanic.

Although court records list Cardenas as being 19, the jail lists him as 20 years old.