Suspicious Activity Leads to Unlawful Use of Gun Charge

The police were called to T-Mobile when the manager became suspicious of the attempt by two customers to open a credit line. She thought that they may be using fake social security numbers.

When the police arrived, the first officer saw a car in the lot with the driver and three passengers siting in the car. The officer approached the driver, Drevon Lay, and asked them what they were doing.

Lay allegedly told the officer that the men were “trying to get some phones”. The officer said that the manager had called about possible fraudulent activity. Lay presented a visa debit card to the officer with the name “Drevon Lay” on the card. Lay’s name was run through the computer system and it came back with a suspended license.

The police told the four men to leave the scene but the officer parked the squad nearby to make sure they complied. At first, the men didn’t comply with two of the four men leaving the car and crossing over to Starbucks, where they stayed for about ten minutes.

When they returned to the car, the officer alleged that the car pulled out of the lot at 10312 S. Cicero Avenue making an improper turn. As the officer activated his emergency lights, the car allegedly sped away with the officer giving chase.

As the officer approached the car, he alleged that Lay made a movement toward the center console and then jumped from the driver’s seat into the back seat landing on the lap of one of the other men and leaving no one sitting in the driver’s seat.

The officer attempted to open the door but it was locked and when he went to the other side one of the four men attempted to run from the back seat but stopped and returned to the car when the officer instructed him to do so.

Eventually, all four men, including one in a wheelchair, were taken out of the car, wherein each man was patted down and the car was searched. A Glock 19 handgun was allegedly recovered in the center console of the car.

The man in the wheelchair was transported to the hospital. He told police officers on the scene that he had ended up in the wheel chair after he was paralyzed in an accident caused by fleeing from the police.

The other men were brought to the police station for further investigation. The car was towed.

At the police station, Lay was not cooperative and requested an attorney. The other man wasn’t much help either, allegedly telling the police that they “thought about taking off on you” in the car but eventually Lay pulled over and then jumped in the back seat in a comical attempt to pretend he wasn’t driving. Unfortunately, his pal confirmed he was driving. In reference to the gun, the talking passenger noted, “it’s his (Lay’s) car, check the gun for his prints. You’re not going to find mine”.

The police didn’t have to check the gun for prints because squad cars have in car videos. During his transport to the police station, Lay allegedly made a cell phone call to his mother and the police alleged that on the video, he is seen and heard saying “they just found the gun”. His mother allegedly replied, “they did what” and Lay allegedly responded “they found the pole.”  The video allegedly shows him hiding the cell phone in the squad and it was recovered by the police.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office approved a felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon against Lay. He was also charged with obstructing a police officer, possession of ammunition, not having a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card, and issued citations for an improper turn, operating a vehicle without insurance and driving without a valid license.

The other men were released. Lay is a 19 year old black male with a Zion address.