2 Teens Charged Over 2 Loaded Guns, 6 Bags Of Weed In Evanston Arrest

Apr 21, 2023

EVANSTON, IL — Failure to properly wear seatbelts provided police with the probable cause to pull over a car with a trio of teens Saturday in Evanston, authorities said.

The 19-year-old driver now faces firearm and cannabis charges, and one of his 15-year-old passengers has been petitioned delinquent in juvenile court on a gun possession charge, according to police and prosecutors.

Nathan Norman, of Skokie, was driving along Foster Street shortly after 9:45 p.m. when Evanston police detectives spotted him and one of his passengers without seatbelts, authorities said.

The officers detained the car and its occupants as it was backed into a parking spot in an alley north of the corner of Foster and Ashland Avenue.

Detectives asked Norman if he had any weapons in the car, and he notified them that there was some cannabis in a fanny pack at the feet of the front passenger, according to Assistant State's Attorney Clara Malkin.

Police checked Norman's name in the law enforcement database system and learned he had an active warrant, which had been issued in March as a result of his failure to show up to court after being charged with misdemeanor cannabis possession, the prosecutor said.

As police placed Norman under arrest, they found he had a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun tucked into his waistband, authorities said.

Officers then searched Norman's two 15-year-old passengers and found one of them had a loaded Ruger .357 in his waistband. That gun had been reported stolen out of Chicago, Malkin said Monday at Norman's initial court appearance.

"Additionally, officers found an open bottle of Remy Martin Cognac in the glove compartment of the vehicle," Malkin said.

A search of the fanny pack reportedly revealed six individually wrapped bags containing a combined 30 grams of cannabis.

In a statement announcing his arrest, police said the "weight and the manner of packaging was consistent with cannabis sales and distribution." The prosecutor said Norman was carrying $360 in cash in various denominations at the time of his arrest.

Norman faces felony charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of between 10 and 30 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of a handgun without a firearm owners identification card. He also was issued citations for not wearing a seat belt, failure to secure a child under 16 in a seat belt and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.

While the 15-year-old passenger accused of carrying the .357 revolver was referred to juvenile court, the unarmed 15-year-old who was riding in the front passenger seat was released without charges, according to police.

Defense attorney Frank Himel said Norman's family would ensure that he shows up to court this time.

Associate Judge Anthony Calabrese set the cash portion of Norman's bond at $2,500 and ordered him not to possess any firearms while awaiting trial. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for June 27 .

"I am concerned that we have a motor vehicle traveling down the streets of Evanston with a gentleman who has an outstanding warrant behind the wheel who is armed with a loaded, chambered pistol in his waistband and a 15-year-old behind him with a .357 Magnum," Calabrese said.

"I can't imagine for what good purpose those individuals would be out in the streets armed in that fashion."