Fourteen-Year-Old Naperville Juvenile Charged with Possession of Loaded Semi-automatic Handgun

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres announced today that a fourteen-year-old male Naperville juvenile has been charged with possessing a loaded semiautomatic pistol. The juvenile appeared at his detention hearing this morning where Judge Chantelle Porter ordered he be released on home detention with electronic monitoring. The juvenile is charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a Class 4 Felony.

On June 14, 2025, at approximately 7:33 p.m., while conducting additional patrols in the area of Washington Street and Jefferson Avenue during a “teen takeover” event in Downtown Naperville, an officer with the Naperville Police Department allegedly observed the juvenile displaying suspicious behavior. After making contact with the juvenile, the officer conducted a safety pat down during which he allegedly recovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun in the juvenile’s waistband. The juvenile was taken into custody at this time.

“The allegation that a fourteen-year-old boy was in possession of a loaded, semi-automatic handgun during an extremely crowded event in downtown Naperville is extremely disturbing,” Berlin said. “Once again, the Naperville Police Department’s vigilant policing and heads up work led to the removal of an allegedly illegally possessed handgun from our streets and possibly prevented a future tragedy. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Bethany Jackson and Michael Pingaj for their efforts on this case.”

“This was a disturbing discovery by our officers, and I could not be more grateful to them for their vigilance and professionalism, which led to this arrest and potentially prevented a tragedy," Arres said. "Residents and visitors to Naperville should expect to continue seeing a large police presence in our downtown, at special events, and anywhere large groups are congregating. We take our responsibility to keep this community safe very seriously and will have zero tolerance for criminal, disruptive, or unsafe behavior that puts others at risk. I thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his team for filing the appropriate charges in this case and for their continued support of law enforcement.”

The juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 27, 2025, in front of Judge Porter.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the juvenile’s guilt. The juvenile is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.