DuPage County, Ill. — Judge Leah Bendik granted the State’s motion to deny pretrial release for a convicted West Chicago felon, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office reported. Ryan Ratliff, 35, was allegedly in possession of a loaded firearm.
At approximately 8:48 p.m. on June 28, West Chicago Police officers responded to a call for a man with a gun on Arbor Street. The complaining witnesses alleged that an individual later identified as Ratliff jumped the road and approached their car on Arbor Street with a handgun pointed at them. The victims fled and called the police.
While heading to the location of the call, officers identified a man who fit the suspect’s description in the parking lot of a liquor store. They stopped yo speak with him, identified later as Ratliff, and did not find a weapon. After searching inside the store, the officers located the handgun behind bottles on a shelf. Ratliff allegedly had attempted to hide the gun in the liquor store before he was approached by the officers.
Ratliff was taken into custody. The handgun was later found reported stolen from Chicago on June 11.
Ratliff appeared in First Appearance Court on June 29 and was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Repeat Felony Offender (Class X Felony), one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony), one count of Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Class 2 Felony) and multiple Misdemeanor counts including two counts of Aggravated Assault.
Ratliff is currently on parole for multiple felony convictions. His next court appearance is July 28.
