Former Batavia man guilty of illegal gun possession while out on bond for attempted murder

A Kane County judge found a former Batavia man guilty Jan. 21 of illegal gun possession and unlawful use of a weapon while free on bond for a previous attempted murder charge.

According to a news release from Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser’s office, Frank E. Ryan, 35, now of the 300 block of North Cedar Street in Waterman, was found guilty of possession of a firearm on a revoked FOID card, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and violation of bail bond, all felonies.

Kane County Judge David R. Kliment heard Ryan’s case after Ryan waived his right to a jury trial.

The release stated that early on April 9, 2020, Ryan was driving a pickup that became stuck in the mud behind a building in the 800 block of Hicks Drive in Elburn. Ryan was free on $20,000 bond at the time for a January 2020 charge of attempt murder.

Ryan had been ordered to surrender any guns and his Firearm Owners Identification as a condition of bond in the January case. The Illinois State Police subsequently revoked Ryan’s FOID relative to the January charges. The home of Ryan’s intended victim in the attempted murder case was visible from and in close proximity to the location of Ryan’s stuck vehicle, the release stated.

The tow truck driver that Ryan called after getting stuck was suspicious about the location and called Elburn police, who found a loaded shotgun inside Ryan’s vehicle.

“Thanks to the Elburn police for the thorough investigation, and to the alert tow truck driver who wisely made a report to the police when he sensed that something wasn’t right. His actions might have saved someone’s life,” stated Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Anderson in the release.

Ryan remains in the Kane County Jail and will next appear in court on March 3.