The Will County Sheriff’s Office’s Enforcement Division and the Criminal Interdiction Team seized three illegal weapons in two traffic stops over the weekend bringing felony charges against two individuals. 

On December 7, 2019, Sheriff’s deputies arrested Marshall Donald Quincy Gatson, age 27, of 151 McDonough Street in Joliet around 11:35pm.  While an enforcement deputy was patrolling the areas of Weber and Renwick Roads in Joliet Township, he observed Gatson’s vehicle swerve erratically from lane to lane.  Deputies performed a traffic stop and smelled cannabis emitting from the vehicle and observed a glass jar containing cannabis in plain sight. A probable cause search was conducted and a loaded .45 Magnum revolver was discovered under the driver’s seat.  Gatson was charged with improper lane usage, improper display of license plate, defective windshield, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and defacing identification marks of a firearm. 

Less than ten hours later on December 8, 2019, deputies from the Sheriff’s Criminal Interdiction Team were patrolling in the area of Interstate 57 and Manhattan-Monee Road in Peotone Township.  Deputies observed a speeding vehicle with a defective windshield.  A traffic stop was conducted at which time deputies approached the passenger side of the vehicle and smelled a strong odor of cannabis emanating from the vehicle.  Deputies also observed a 3-year-old child in a safety seat in the back.  They spoke with an adult passenger and the driver, Nicole Horton, age 24, of 43 Chelsie Lane in Carbondale, IL.   A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted.  An AR-15 was discovered in the trunk along with a 9mm handgun that was located in the front drawer of the booster-child safety seat that the 3-year-old had been sitting in.   Two AR-15 magazines with ammunition and 9mm ammunition were also located in the vehicle.  A weapons check of the guns was conducted; it was discovered that the AR-15 had been reported stolen, a few months ago, from a police vehicle in the southern section of Illinois.

The three subjects were transported to the Investigation Unit.  The passenger of the vehicle was released from custody pending further investigation.  The 3-year-old child was held in protective custody by Department of Child and Family Services.  Nicole Horton was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, four counts of Unlawful Possession of a firearm/ammunition, four counts of No FOID card, and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm.    

Photo #1 - Nicole Horton (arrested: 12/8/19)

Photo #2 - AR-15 and 9mm in Horton arrest

Photo #3 - 9mm handgun in booster car seat

Photo #4 - Marshall Gatson (arrested: 12/7/19)

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