Springfield, Illinois – On January 20, 2024, around 9:38 p.m., Sgt. Michael Raynolds, Officers Eric Wise, David Craven, and Corey Cortes, who are officers of the Springfield Police Department Street Crimes Unit, were on patrol traveling eastbound in the 700 block of E. Laurel Street. They reported that they observed a silver Chevrolet sedan at the stop sign at 8th and Laurel Street and the sedan was facing south bound.

They report that the vehicle then turned eastbound on Laurel Street and appeared to accelerate quickly. Officer Cortes noted, “It appeared the driver of this vehicle was attempting to gain distance between their vehicle and our squad for an unknown reason.” The vehicle reportedly also had a broken rear taillight on the passenger side, showing a white light.

As the Street Crimes Unit officers continued to follow the vehicle, they stated that it continued eastbound on Laurel Street and then turned northbound into the alleyway located in the 1000 block of E. Laurel Street towards Spruce Street. The officers say they turned northbound on 11th Street and observed the same silver Chevrolet sedan now traveling eastbound on Spruce Street and coming up to the stop sign on Spruce and Laurel Street. “The driving pattern of this vehicle did not make any sense, and it appeared they were only trying to distance themselves from our police presence,” Officer Cortes reported.

A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle while it was stopped at the stop sign at Spruce and Laurel. As officers approached the vehicle, they detected a mixed odor of raw and burnt cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. They also observed a cannabis-filled cigarillo with a burnt end and smoke still coming from it, which they said was visibly clear that they were smoking cannabis.

Officer Cortes said he knocked on the passenger side window for the passenger to open the door since it appeared that the window would not be able to be rolled down due to it having tape on it. The passenger, who was identified as Jordan T. Durbin, age 19, was asked to step out of the vehicle so a search of the vehicle could be performed. Durbin was searched, and officers found a black gun holster containing a black Smith&Wesson M&P 9 Shield 9mm semi-automatic pistol inside the front of his pants waistline. The gun was loaded, and a round was in the chamber. Officers checked records and it showed that Jordan did not have a valid FOID card nor a Conceal Carry License.

Jordan was taken to the Springfield Police Department for questioning. He was read his Miranda Rights and questioned about the pistol. Jordan told officers that the pistol belonged to him and that he found the pistol in the alleyway near 8th and Black Street a couple of weeks ago.

Jordan was taken to the Sangamon County Jail and has been charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with two counts of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Firearm, a class 4 felony, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a class A misdemeanor. He was granted pre-trial release and released from the Sangamon County Jail.