PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A South Peoria man on Thursday was ordered held on $75,000 bond after being caught with “AK-47 pistol.”
Qualin Lewis, 23, appeared by way of video conferencing in Peoria County Circuit Court on the single count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a nonprobationable felony that could send him to prison for up to 10 years.
Assistant State’s Attorney Terry Muench told Judge Sean Donahue that law enforcement officers arrested Lewis Wednesday afternoon in the 2800 block of West Ann Street. Officers had noticed he had gone into an apartment and they followed a short time later.
On a couch near where he was sitting as a Draco AK-47 pistol, Muench said in open court.
If he is able to post bond, then Donahue ordered that he must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and also submit to a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. The judge noted Lewis’ past criminal record which included juvenile offenses as well as a 2020 Peoria County conviction for burglary.
Lewis was initially sentenced to probation in that felony case but later, had his probation revoked and received a three-year prison term. He was released on parole last year and Muench told the judge he believes the Illinois Department of Corrections has filed a parole hold on Lewis
HIs arrest was made public by Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins in a Facebook post.
Lewis had been under surveillance by Peoria police. the sheriff’s office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after being linked by DNA to an incident in March where shots were fired at sheriff’s deputies in the same area, near the intersection of West Ann and Oregon streets.
Deputies had been sent to the area after an alert from the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system indicated four rounds had been fired. When they arrived, deputies saw a man with a hoodie who immediately fired several shots at the two officers, according to Watkins’ Facebook post.
The man was able to flee and neither of the deputies were injured. They were able to recover two firearms and shell casings at the scene. One of the weapons was stolen from Chicago.
Muench said swabs were taken on the items found and DNA located there linked them to Lewis.
He will next appear in court on July 6 for a preliminary hearing though it is likely a grand jury will hear the case before then.
