On June 1, 2016, at approximately 6:01PM, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix for a traffic violation. Following the traffic stop, the driver of the Pontiac, Angelo S. Morris, 27, of the 1800 block of North Berwick Boulevard, a documented street gang member, began videotaping himself and the deputies with a cell phone camera. Morris then drove away, while still recording. The video then depicted Morris pulling out a handgun from what appeared to be his pants, while attempting to mock the sheriff’s deputies who initiated the traffic stop. Morris then posted the video to his Facebook account.
Lake County Sheriff’s Detectives located the Facebook video and preserved it as evidence. On June 2, 2016, the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force obtained an arrest warrant for Morris. The arrest warrant was for one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony – $250,000.00 Bond).
After obtaining the arrest warrant, Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force Detectives located Morris, driving the same Pontiac Grand Prix, on North Berwick Boulevard, near his Waukegan residence. Detectives conducted a traffic stop on the Pontiac and Morris was found him to be driving under the influence of drugs. He was no longer in possession of the gun he displayed the prior day.
Sheriff Mark Curran said, “The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force successfully arrested another dangerous gang member. I’m extremely proud of the collaboration and hard work our Highway Patrol Division and Gang Task Force are doing to keep our Lake County communities safe. More and more Lake County communities are joining the Sheriff’s Gang Task Force to combat gangs in Lake County.”
Undersheriff Ray Rose added, “We have zero tolerance for gang members in Lake County. Especially gang members who attempt to threaten and intimidate the community and law enforcement. Street gangs do not contribute to society, they do just the opposite and create problems, we will continue going to great lengths in keeping our neighborhoods safe.”
Morris was subsequently arrested on the warrant for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony), Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (Class A Misdemeanor), and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol (Traffic Offense). He is currently being held at the Lake County Jail on $250,000.00 Bail. He is next due in court on June 8, 2016, at 9:00AM in courtroom C-120.
In the past six months, the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force has removed 25 guns from the streets, a majority of those being used by gang members.
Sheriff Curran reminds the public that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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