Ex-con caught with stolen gun in restaurant parking lot: cops

A Joliet man who was released from prison less than a year and a half ago after serving time for gun and marijuana convictions was caught with a stolen pistol in the parking lot of a Scott Street restaurant, police said.

Rafael Costilla, 27, was arrested about 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of El Primo Mexican Restaurant at 457 N. Scott St, according to a statement released by the Joliet Police Department.

Officers were called after Costilla was spotted with a gun inside El Primo, police said.

The officers caught up with Costilla in the parking lot, “determined that he matched the description of the person with the gun inside of the restaurant” and noticed a loaded 9 mm pistol on the ground where he “had been previously standing,” police said.

“Further investigation into the handgun determined that it had previously been reported stolen,” police said.

Costilla was arrested and transported to the Will County jail.

Costilla appeared in holiday court Friday and his bond was set at $100,000, records show.

On Monday, prosecutors filed charges of possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon against Costilla, according to court records.

Costilla was released from Dixon Correctional Center in August 2020 after serving a four year sentence for possession of a firearm by a gang member and manufacture or delivery of a cannabis convictions, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records.