DeKalb man charged after police say they found him asleep inside his car with loaded gun

DeKALB – A DeKalb man is facing charges after police say they found him asleep in his vehicle with a loaded handgun inside.

Charles Holland, 38, of the 1000 block of Spiros Court in DeKalb, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, a Class 4 felony. If convicted of the Class 3 felony charge, which is the more severe of the two, Holland could face up to 5 years in prison.

According to DeKalb County court documents, DeKalb police were called at 3:05 a.m. Wednesday for reports of a man sleeping in his vehicle in a parking lot in the 1200 block of West Lincoln Highway. Police claimed they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car.

Holland got out of the car at the police officer’s request and gave consent for police to search him and his vehicle, according to court documents. Police found fewer than 10 grams of cannabis on Holland’s person.

“A loaded handgun was located inside the center console of the vehicle, immediately accessible to the driver,” court documents state.

According to court documents, Holland does not have a valid firearms owner identification card or concealed carry license and is a convicted felon. Holland was convicted of unlawful cannabis possession in 2003, a Class 4 felony at the time, out of Cook County.

Police later found a live .32-caliber bullet on Holland’s person upon further search at the DeKalb Police Department, according to court documents.

Holland said in open court Thursday he had about $2,000 in his bank account available to post bail. Holland said he’s a ride share driver who works in DeKalb and Cook counties.

“You never know where you’re going to end up based on passenger need,” Holland told DeKalb County Judge Marcy Buick in open court Thursday.

Buick told Holland if he could not hire a private attorney, he can ask a judge later on whether he’s eligible to have the county’s public defender appointed to him.

Buick said that, aside from the Cook County felony cannabis possession charge, most of Holland’s previous offenses include drug offenses.

“I don’t see any other criminal convictions – only drug possession, really,” Buick said.

Buick set a $10,000 recognizance bond for Holland, meaning Holland would be released from DeKalb County Jail on just his signature. Buick ordered that, as a condition of bail, Holland be placed on electronic home monitoring and must surrender any other firearms in his possession to law enforcement.

Holland is due back in court 11 a.m. March 8 in front of DeKalb County Judge Philip Montgomery via Zoom for a status hearing about whether Holland can hire an attorney.