Teen gun trafficker, 2 others arrested after robbing undercover detective in Beach Park: officials

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - A teenage gun trafficker and two others in Beach Park are in custody after a transaction with an undercover detective turned into an armed robbery.

On March 15, the undercover detective met with a 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly trafficking guns, in Beach Park to purchase a firearm.

They met around 1 p.m. in a parking lot in the 38400 block of North Sheridan Road.

The transaction took a turn when the teen pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and aimed it at the detective's face, according to officials. 

The teen demanded that the detective hand over the money he planned to use to purchase the firearm. He said if the detective didn't comply, he would "blow his brains out," deputies say. 

The undercover detective gave the money to the teen before he took off on foot.

Several detectives who were monitoring the transaction chased the teen for a short time and were able to take him into custody. 

During the chase, the teen tossed the firearm, but it was later located by a K9 officer. 

While the teen was in custody, authorities recovered the money used in the transaction. 

Two other people who were on the lookout for the teen during the gun transaction were also taken into custody -- a 16-year-old from Kenosha who had a semi-automatic pistol that was converted to be fully automatic, and 22-year-old Patrick Neal, of Beach Park. He was armed with the same type of pistol. 

Pictured is Patrick Neal, 22.  (Lake County Sheriff's Office )

Detectives later got a search warrant for the 17-year-old's home, where they found a loaded AR pistol with a rifle round, ammunition, extended magazines and a drum magazine, according to officials. 

The 17-year-old is being held in a juvenile detention facility on charges of armed robbery, three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing a peace officer. 

Neal had four outstanding warrants and is also facing a string of charges following this incident, which include: 

• Armed robbery
• Aggravated unlawful possession of a machine gun
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm by a street gang member
• Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon
• Two counts of unlawful use of a weapon

Neal is being held in the Lake County Jail but is set to appear in court for a detention hearing on March 18. 

The 16-year-old petitioned the unlawful use of a weapon charge.