Accused Of Driving In Wilmington With 2 Loaded Guns, Man Regains Freedom Under SAFE-T-Act

WILMINGTON, IL — After spending three days in the Will County Jail last week, 32-year-old Chicago citizen Javonte Murff has regained his freedom despite facing criminal charges including three counts of felon in possession of a weapon and two crimes of having a gun without a valid FOID.

Despite the efforts of the Will County State's Attorney's Office to keep Murff in the Will County Jail, Will County Judge Derek Ewanic ruled that Murff will not be incarcerated any longer under the Illinois SAFE-T-Act. Instead, the judge ordered Murff to go on electronic monitoring as a condition of his pretrial release.

According to the prosecution's petition to deny pretrial release, Murff was driving north on Route 53 in Wilmington and had a passenger with him at 8:48 a.m. Aug. 4. After Wilmington police made a traffic stop, officers realized the vehicle registration was suspended. Murff's driver's license was also suspended, court files noted.

After the vehicle was searched following the tow, two loaded and chambered 9-millimeter handguns were recovered from the trunk in the spare tire compartment, court files show. One is a Glock and the other a SIG Sauer, according to prosecutors.

After being read his Miranda rights, Murff told Wilmington police that the SIG Sauer is his girlfriend's gun and the Glock is his, court files noted.

"He does not have a FOID card and is not eligible for a FOID card," prosecutors declared.

Murff is a convicted felon with a theft conviction from 2014 in Cook County and a manufacture/delivery of marijuana conviction out of 2013 in Cool County.

Judge Ewanic let Murff out of the Will County Jail on Aug. 6, jail logs show.