{
    "title": "ILLINOIS STATE POLICE TASK FORCE RECOVERS FIREARM AND LARGE AMOUNT OF CANNABIS DURING SEARCH WARRANT",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-08 16:24:34",
    "published_at": "2026-04-08 16:24:00",
    "url": "https://illinois-state-police.prezly.com/illinois-state-police-task-force-recovers-firearm-and-large-amount-of-cannabis-during-search-warrant",
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    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: center\">April 8, 2026</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>AURORA</strong> &ndash; The Illinois State Police (ISP) Kendall County Police Assistance Team (KCPAT) arrested 24-year-old Estevon D. Vargas of Aurora for Armed Violence (Class X), two counts of Unlawful Possession of Weapon by a Felon (Class 2), and additional felony weapons and cannabis related offenses following an extensive illegal cannabis investigation.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">KCPAT, in conjunction with the Aurora Police Department, identified Vargas as a suspect. On April 6, 2026, KCPAT Officers executed a search warrant at Vargas&rsquo; residence in the 300 block of Michigan Avenue in Aurora. Officers recovered a firearm, approximately 2,000 grams of illegal cannabis, and other cannabis products. Vargas was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Kane County Jail on the above-listed charges. There is no additional information at this time. </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">&nbsp;</p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 18.21%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/cd81de24-858a-40be-a7a6-9342c8031ba3/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"Estevon D. Vargas (M/24)\"\n                id=\"image-cd81de24-858a-40be-a7a6-9342c8031ba3\"\n                data-id=\"cd81de24-858a-40be-a7a6-9342c8031ba3\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/cd81de24-858a-40be-a7a6-9342c8031ba3/-/inline/no/Picture2.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/cd81de24-858a-40be-a7a6-9342c8031ba3/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Estevon D. Vargas (M/24)\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\">Estevon D. Vargas (M/24)</figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em>The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.</em></p><p style=\"text-align: center\">###</p><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-2d8582c3-6660-46ec-be9a-ede92e8776d0\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/c186f24e-632d-4a36-87df-aa1eb28e1989/-/crop/425x425/63,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Illinois State Police\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Illinois State Police</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Public Information Office, Office of the Director</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/@ILStatePolice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"@ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-twitter release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-twitter\"></use>\n            </svg>@ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ILStatePolice/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-facebook release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-facebook\"></use>\n            </svg>ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://isp.illinois.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"isp.illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>isp.illinois.gov</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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