Evanston man faces gun charges

An Evanston man is facing weapons charges after police found a handgun and a loaded magazine in a car Tuesday night.

Detectives working on an Evanston Police Department violence reduction initiative were checking an occupied, parked vehicle in the 1900 block of Brummel Street at 11:55 p.m. when they noticed the smell of burnt marijuana coming from inside, according to a statement from Evanston police.

Branden L. Johnson, who was in the driver’s seat, told the detectives he had just finished smoking marijuana and there was a handgun in the glove compartment, police said. They found a 9mm Beretta handgun in the glove compartment and a loaded 9mm magazine in a compartment near the steering wheel.

The detectives checked Johnson’s FOID card and found that it had been revoked, according to police. He was then taken into custody.

Johnson, who lives in the 800 block of Judson Avenue in Evanston, is charged with a Class 4 felony count of unlawful use of a weapon and two misdemeanor counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition without a valid FOID card, police said.