A Sterling man has been charged with armed violence, weapons and drug offenses, accused of unlawfully carrying a gun while walking on a Sterling city street and toting a large amount of fentanyl.

Alexander M. Delgado, 30, is charged with armed violence, a Class X felony; two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, prohibited because he has two previous forcible felony convictions; and one count of possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. The armed violence charge is a Class X felony that could lead to a prison sentence of six to 30 years, if he is convicted.

Delgado was taken into custody after police were dispatched about 7:30 p.m. Thursday to a report of a suspicious person in the 1200 block of West Fourth Street. While investigating, Sterling police saw Delgado walking in the 1100 block alley between West Fourth and Fifth streets, according to a Sterling Police Department news release.

During a court hearing Friday, Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Sydney Stubblefield said Delgado was patted down and the bag he was carrying was searched when police thought they saw the outline of a gun in the bag.

Stubblefield said the search yielded a pistol, 11 rounds of ammunition and 3.6 grams of fentanyl. According to court records, Delgado is not allowed to have the gun or the ammunition because of a previous methamphetamine delivery conviction.

Delgado was transported to the Whiteside County Jail.

Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman ruled during Friday’s hearing that probable cause exists to move forward with the case and ordered Delgado to remain in the Whiteside County Jail.

He said the decision to keep Delgado in custody is because of a prior criminal history that includes a 3-year prison sentence handed down after he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary in 2016, a 2023 conviction for a 2019 case in which he pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon as a felon and meth delivery, and because of the risk that fentanyl poses to the community at large.

Stubblefield noted that as little as 2 milligrams of the drug can be fatal; Delgado was carrying 3.6 grams at the time of the arrest, she alleged.

Delgado’s next court appearance is an attorney status hearing at 9 a.m. June 18 followed by a preliminary hearing at 1:30 June 22.