Three Men Arrested for Guns at Stunt-Driving Session
Following a recent double shooting at a street takeover event on the Southwest Side of Chicago, attention has turned to a trio of men who were arrested for having guns during a stunt-driving session late last year.
On December 29, Chicago Police Department surveillance cameras captured footage of multiple vehicles, including a black Infiniti, spinning circles at the Richard J. Daley boat ramp on South Western Avenue. Three men, identified as Damian Bello, Ronald Benitez, and Adrian Hernandez, were seen posing with two guns that had large ammunition magazines.
When police arrived, Bello, the driver of the Infiniti, attempted to flee but ended up crashing the car on nearby railroad tracks, causing delays to train services. The guns were found lying in gravel near where the car had stopped, with distinctive ammunition magazines that were identifiable on surveillance video footage.
All three men were charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. However, Hernandez and Benitez have since pleaded guilty to the charges and received first-time weapon offender probation along with community service hours. If they successfully complete their probation, their cases will be dismissed without a conviction.
On the other hand, Bello pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and received a two-year sentence with credit for time served. Despite facing more serious charges, including unlawful use of a weapon with a previous conviction, prosecutors dropped several counts against him.
It is worth noting that the lenient sentence for Bello has raised some eyebrows, considering the gravity of the charges and the impact of his actions on public safety.
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