A ghost gun was found during an investigation following a fight at Love’s in Oglesby, La Salle County prosecutors said, and the suspect was an ex-con with no business handling a firearm.

Courtney L. Harris, 49, of San Bernardino, California was ordered detained Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court, where he was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a repeat felony offender.

The charge is a Class X felony carrying six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation. If convicted, he’d be required to serve 85% of any prison time under the state Truth in Sentencing Act.

Assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney Laura Hall said Oglesby police were dispatched at 11:51 a.m. Wednesday for an argument, during which one of the subjects allegedly brandished a firearm.

When questioned about the incident, Hall said, Harris gave police consent to search his semi. Inside the cab, police found a black, loaded semiautomatic rifle that “appeared to be a ghost gun” – that is, with no registration information or serial number.

Harris, she said, had previous felony convictions in California for burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm.

“He knows he can’t have a gun,” Hall said, urging the judge to reject any conditions of pre-trial release. “He’s driving around with a gun. The gun is a ghost gun and he’s got a felony history.”

Public Defender Ryan Hamer argued that Harris was not initially involved in the argument, which was between Harris’ nephew and a third party wielding a hammer.

While Harris wasn’t supposed to possess the rifle, Hamer said that Harris was a candidate for pre-trial release based on his cooperation with police and his distant criminal history.

“He didn’t use the firearm,” Hamer said. “He didn’t shoot it. He didn’t point the gun at anyone.”

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. was not persuaded. Ryan said the proximity to the argument, the lack of identifying features on the rifle, and its extended magazine made Harris a risk to others and precluded pre-trial release.

The case will go to a grand jury on April 21. Harris will get a trial setting at his arraignment on April 24. Harris signaled he will attempt to seek private counsel.