North Aurora man charged with felony gun possession

A North Aurora man was charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon, after a gun was discovered after a traffic stop, according to police reports and court records.

Joseph M. Ervin, 31, of the 200 block of North Lincolnway, North Aurora, was also charged April 9 with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a vehicle where it was easily accessible, according to the charging documents.

Ervin also had no Firerarm Owners Identification Card, the report stated. The gun was unloaded.

Ervin was also charged with possession of open alcohol in a vehicle, records show.

Ervin was in the rear passenger seat of a car pulled over for speeding in the 200 block of South Randall Road shortly before 1 a.m., according to the police report.

Ervin told police the Taurus G2s 9mm belonged to his girlfriend and that they had been at a shooting range earlier in the day and that was why he had the gun, according to the police report.

At the time, Ervin was out on bail from a Nov. 14, 2021 felony domestic battery charge that is still pending against him. He had posted $1,500 or 10% of a $15,000 bond that had been set, records show.

The terms of his bond in that case were that he should not commit any criminal offenses and that he should not possess a firearm or dangerous weapons, records show.

Ervin was released after posting $7,500 bail or 10% of a $75,000 bond that was set on the current charges and was to appear in court again on May 18, court records show. His next court date is scheduled for June 29, court records show.

After the gun possession arrest, prosecutors filed court papers seeking to increase his bond and to add additional conditions of release.

A judge added conditions to Ervin’s release, ordering him not to possess or consume alcohol, any controlled substance or intoxicating compounds and to submit to random drug and alcohol testing through the court, records show.

Of the two charges against him, the most serious is unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, a Class 3 felony, punishable by two to five years in prison and fines up to $25,000, if convicted.

In 2016, Ervin pleaded guilty to felony trespass to a residence and was sentenced to two years in prison, records show.

When reached by cell phone on Friday, Ervin said he was not prepared to comment about his arrest.