Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced Gralon Potts, 38, of Chicago Heights, was sentenced recently to 10 years in prison for Unlawful Use of a Weapon (a Class X Felony). Potts pled guilty and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Bertani-Tomczak.
On August 12, 2023, University Park Police responded to a dispatch for a disturbance at 745 Red Oak Lane involving two vehicles. While on the way there, the officers were informed the alleged offender was wearing a yellow vest and had a handgun. Upon arrival, one of the officers saw a man in a yellow vest walking away from a vehicle. He stopped the man, defendant Potts, who told the officer he had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend. Potts told the officer she had smashed the windows of his Tahoe and rammed the vehicle with her Nissan.
As the officer walked around the Tahoe, he saw eight unspent .40 rounds on the ground behind the Tahoe. He then saw an empty magazine and found a 9mm Glock, with an extended magazine and a switch that made it a fully automatic weapon. The machine gun was loaded with 21 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. An additional round was found on the front passenger floorboard. Security video showed Potts pointing the weapon at his girlfriend and breaking the doors to her Nissan. Potts will serve the sentence at 50 percent and receive 271 days credit. He also will serve 18 months of mandatory supervised release.