Will County Gazette

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that Gralon Potts, 38, of Chicago Heights, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Unlawful Use of a Weapon (a Class X Felony). Potts pled guilty and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Bertani-Tomczak.

On August 12, 2023, University Park police responded to a dispatch for a disturbance at 745 Red Oak Lane involving two vehicles. While en route, officers were informed that the alleged offender was wearing a yellow vest and had a handgun. Upon arrival, one officer saw a man in a yellow vest walking away from a vehicle. He stopped the man, identified as Potts, who told the officer he had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend. Potts stated that she had smashed the windows of his Tahoe and rammed it with her Nissan.

As the officer inspected the Tahoe, he found eight unspent .40 rounds on the ground behind it. An empty magazine and a 9 mm Glock with an extended magazine and a switch converting it into a fully automatic weapon were also discovered. The machine gun was loaded with 21 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. An additional round was found on the front passenger floorboard.

Security video showed Potts pointing the weapon at his girlfriend and breaking the doors to her Nissan.

Potts will serve his sentence at 50 percent and will receive credit for 271 days already served. He will also serve 18 months of mandatory supervised release.

State’s Attorney Glasgow expressed gratitude to Assistant State’s Attorney Katie Rabenda and Legal Secretary Kendall Ziech for their efforts in this case.