Chicago Bears defense tackle faces gun charges

[Joe7cri]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6273318

Chicago Bears' defensive tackle Terry "Tank" Johnson was charged Thursday with six counts of possession of a firearm without a gun owner identification card after police said they found six guns at his Gurnee home.

Unless specifically exempted by statute, all Illinois residents who buy or possess firearms are required by law to have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card. They are issued by the Illinois State Police.

Is this true for all firearms, or is it only for hand guns? If it's true for all firearms, I can honestly say that I'm happy to live hear in NY

 

[M110]

Must have FOID for ALL firearms in Illinois.

 

[Joe7cri]

Wow that sucks

 

[DouglasW]

I'm a bit curious why the police were searching his home to begin with. Was it related to the valet dropping a dime on him in 2005, or something else?

In November 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours community service after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an arrest in which a nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his sport utility vehicle.

Gee, I'm glad I live in the United States.

 

[Colt46]

Interested to see the Mayor's stance on this case

Gun owner's are evil, but civic pride in the Bears just might take precedence.
He's guilty of what, exactly?

 

[Axman]

I always thought the meaning of "gun charges" was buying your guns with Visa or Mastercard! Guess I was wrong!

 

[SnWnMe]

Wasting time and effort pursuing a "crime" that harmed no one.

 

[Autolycus]

Ah but the thing is that he could draw a lot of attention to our cause. Hopefully he will get charged and let go. This can set a precedent for other gunowners.

However I doubt it. I suspect he will get a slap on the wrist like celebrities do in other states that have crazy gun laws (NYC and California come to mind).

Just wanted to put a copy of the article up for future reference....

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6273318

Johnson faces more gun charges
Story Tools:
Print Email Blog This
Associated Press
Posted: 7 hours ago



LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Chicago Bears' defensive tackle Terry "Tank" Johnson was charged Thursday with six counts of possession of a firearm without a gun owner identification card after police said they found six guns at his Gurnee home.

The misdemeanor charge carries a potential penalty of up to a year in jail, said Jeff Pavletic, first assistant state's attorney in Lake County.

Johnson turned himself in to Gurnee police, posted bond and was released Thursday evening, Police Chief Robert Jones told a news conference.

Johnson already has a separate conviction on a gun charge.

In November 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours community service after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an arrest in which a nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his sport utility vehicle.

Johnson also was arrested last February after a confrontation outside a Chicago nightclub, but the charges were dropped after the police officer he allegedly scuffled with decided not to continue the prosecution.

Gurnee police executed a warrant and searched Johnson's home earlier Thursday, Bears coach Lovie Smith said. Johnson, the Bears' starting nose guard, didn't practice Thursday and was driven away from Halas Hall by a Bears security official.

Smith said Johnson's status for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay was up in the air and noted that any discipline against Johnson, if applicable, would come from the NFL under the personal conduct policy.

Unless specifically exempted by statute, all Illinois residents who buy or possess firearms are required by law to have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card. They are issued by the Illinois State Police.

"It definitely is a concern because Tank has had to deal with some things like this in the past. Yes, it definitely is a concern," Smith said, adding that it was also a distraction for the playoff-bound team.

Losing Johnson would be a major blow to the Bears, who've already clinched a playoff berth by winning the NFC North. Chicago is also without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who underwent surgery Tuesday for a torn hamstring.

Johnson was a second-round draft pick of the Bears out of Washington in 2004.

 

[Autolycus]

From the article:

In November 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours community service after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an arrest in which a nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his sport utility vehicle.

I wonder exactly what the charge was. Unlawful use of a Weapon (commonly called UUW in Illinois) is a felony here. So I am guessing he plead down to a lesser charge if that was what he was arrested for.

 

[stevelyn]

It would appear that he is being charged for something that is perfectly legal in Free America.
If it were me, I would excercise my option to play for a team in a free state after the court process is over.

 

[Green Lantern]

Someone else mentioned they want to know what Daley's reaction will be...

Since Senator Obama is apparently a Bears fan, I am VERY curious to see what HIS reaction will be to this...! (if either one gives a public statement on it)

 

[ilbob]

I wonder exactly what the charge was. Unlawful use of a Weapon (commonly called UUW in Illinois) is a felony here. So I am guessing he plead down to a lesser charge if that was what he was arrested for.

UUW is not always a felony. There are all kinds of actions that are UUW with radically different penalties prescribed for each.

The statute is written in such a confusing way that it is not always clear just what is legal and what is not, nor what the penalty is for a specific action.

I think that generally possesion of a firearm w/o a FOID is just a misdemeanor, unless one is a felon or otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms.

Wonder who dropped the dime on him? Ex or soon to be ex-wife/SO, perhaps?

maybe a QB he sacked recently????

 

[romma]

What would be interesting I believe would be to have veteran players of professional sports teams that have a say over trades or free agency refuse to be sent to places like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. I can hear the talk on ESPN now! Thats the real problem for a lot of these players like Tank Johnson. What he did in Chicago would be perfectly legal in almost every other state.

 

[lysander]

Wonder who dropped the dime on him? Ex or soon to be ex-wife/SO, perhaps?

The local news reports seem to indicate that "Tank" is not very popular with his neighbors. He is living in a high dollar neighborhood in a white-bred suburb..and he is after all a young, large, tatooed, black man.

Needless to say, a few complaints have been lodged against him ranging from dog abuse to shots fired. The second one seems kind of hysterical to me cause they have shown his house on the news...it is your typical McMansion neighborhood and I find it hard to believe he was hanging out on his deck shooting targets in his postage stamp sized backyard.

Regardless of the actual details behind the incidents, between Tank and the shooting at the IP firm last week, the "gun-grab" crew here in Illinois appears to have some fertile seeds of fear to sow come the next legislative session.

I mean really, Tank had two (count 'em, two!!!) ASSAULT RIFLES in his home and no FOID card. Good lord think of the children!!

 

[El Tejon]

Maybe he can get traded to the Indianapolis Colts and have hundreds of guns in his home without governmental approval. GO COLTS!

BTW, where are all the cops telling us that the police will never kick in doors to confiscate guns? It's not as if it is not happening in NYC, Chicago, New Orleans and Los Angeles.

 

[kd7nqb]

I thought the FOID law was only used after a crime to add time?

 

[Autolycus]

Nope. You need the FOID just to hold a gun in a gunshop here in Illinois.

I am sure these will all dissapear so we should not worry.

 

[SShooterZ]

There were also hints that they were executing on a possible drug bust too.

Either way, he should have just gotten his FOID and been done with it.

Hope this doesn't hurt our playoff run.

 

[Jeff White]

I would guess he's been charged under local statutes instead of state statutes. Chicago and Cook County, in fact all home rule entities in Illinois have all kinds of power to legislate things. Many of them copy things like the vehicle code and other statutes into their local laws as a way to raise revenue through fines and lately as the states attorneys get so overloaded with cases, as a way to insure that minor offenses are actually prosecuted (by the city or county attorney in municiple court instead of by the states attorney in district court).

Jeff

 

[FNHiPower]

Trade Talk with Colts

Hey El Tejon, we'll trade you Tank for Payton Manning

 

[Atticus]

I'm shocked...usually those with cash can circumvent the law in Chicago.
In a few weeks it will be, " ten grand paid, with community service".

 

[kbheiner7]

Why in the world were they searching his house?

Illinois is lame.

 

[isp2605]

Why in the world were they searching his house?

It was a drug raid.

 

[MICHAEL T]

How about IF he had followed the Law and had the Card. None of this would have happened. This isn't a new law been around for years. He has already been in trouble for having a gun in his car. Was still on probation for that . Had another run in with law a few mo back.Doesn't matter what other state laws are .He lives in this one. Follow the law like all the rest of the GOOD people and no Police.
Defend him no way another slum type gangbanger that made it into sports and still a bum.They found 2oz pot also but belong to company
This and other reason you will be fighting a uphill battle for next 100yrs in Il for CCW. also reason I don't watch or support pro sports. Most the hired help has been or on way to jail. Great examples for your kids.

 

[lysander]

Chicago and Cook County, in fact all home rule entities in Illinois have all kinds of power to legislate things.

I'm not sure about additional prohibitions in Lake County.

For those unfamiliar with local geography...Gurnee, the locality in question, is a fair bit north of Chicago...just outside of the dreaded Duchy of Daley.