A Mt. Morris man has pleaded not guilty to the felony offenses of armed violence and five other firearm-related charges and the unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Kenneth A. Thomson, 20, waived his right to a preliminary hearing, entered the not-guilty pleas, and demanded a jury trial during a Feb. 4 court appearance in front of Ogle County Associate Judge Anthony Peska.

Thomson is charged with the Class X felony of armed violence in which prosecutors say he was armed with an “AR rifle, a dangerous Category 1 weapon” when he unlawfully delivered a substance containing clonazepam Jan. 16.

Under Illinois law, Category 1 weapons – such as an AR semi-automatic firearm – are associated with armed violence and those offenses carry a stricter sentence.

According to court records, Thomson is also charged with the unlawful sale or delivery of a firearm, a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber handgun on Jan. 20 and “knowingly sold” that gun to a person who did not display to the defendant a current, valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card.

Thomson is also charged with carrying a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber handgun, a 9mm handgun on Jan. 20 and carrying a .22 Ruger handgun and an AR rifle on Jan. 30 while he was not on his own land, in his own home, at his own business, while under the age of 21 and not engaged in lawful activities under the Wildlife Code.

Thomson, who has been held in the Ogle County Jail since his arrest, appeared in court Feb. 4 with his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Eric Morrow.

Peska continued Thomson’s pretrial detainment and remanded him to the Ogle County Jail following that hearing.

Thomson’s next court appearance is 1 p.m. Feb. 18.