A federal grand jury has indicted Eddie Arguelles, 20, of Chicago, on a charge of illegally possessing a loaded machine gun in Riis Park, located in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. The indictment was returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court and follows a criminal complaint previously filed in the case.
According to the charges, Arguelles was found with a Glock handgun equipped with a conversion device known as a “Glock switch” or “auto sear,” which allows the firearm to discharge multiple rounds with one trigger pull. Police responded to reports of gunfire at Riis Park on May 14, 2025. When officers arrived, Arguelles allegedly attempted to flee on a moped but crashed onto a football field before being taken into custody. Officers recovered the firearm during his arrest. He is currently detained without bond.
Arguelles faces one count of possession of a machine gun. If convicted, he could receive up to ten years in federal prison. His arraignment is scheduled for September 17, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez. The U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to seek continued pre-trial detention.
The announcement was made by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wesley Morrissette will prosecute the case.
The investigation involves ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in Chicago—a centralized hub that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as well as prosecutors and intelligence analysts to investigate and prosecute violent crimes quickly throughout northern Illinois.
“The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
