Homeless felon faces weapons, drug charges in Evanston arrest

EVANSTON, Ill. - A homeless man and convicted felon faces charges after Evanston police allegedly found him in possession of a handgun and heroin.

According to authorities, on May 5, around 9 p.m., Evanston police responded to a call regarding an armed individual at a CVS Pharmacy located in the 100 block of Asbury Avenue. The caller expressed concerns that the individual might attempt to rob the store.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers identified the individual as 39-year-old John Hernandez. After a pat-down search, police discovered an object believed to be a handgun in Hernandez's possession. Hernandez admitted to officers that he had a gun in his left pants pocket, and officers subsequently recovered a loaded Ruger Security 9mm.

Handgun recovered from John Hernandez | Evanston Police Department

However, upon reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with a CVS employee, police found no evidence indicating Hernandez had attempted a robbery.

Following the incident, during a search at the police station, officers found a small quantity of suspected heroin in Hernandez's possession.

Further investigation revealed that Hernandez did not possess a FOID card or Concealed Carry License, and he was identified as a convicted felon. He now faces charges including Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and two misdemeanor counts of FOID Card Violations.

Hernandez remains in custody at the Cook County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on May 29 in Skokie.