A Carpentersville man with a long history of convictions for drug offenses and other violent crimes has been convicted for unlawfully possessing a handgun.

Chad W. Conway, 37, of Carpentersville and most recently of the 11000 block of Oxbow Drive, Roscoe, was convicted Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, by a Kane County jury of armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony.

The jury deliberated for about two hours before it reached the verdict.

Prosecutors presented evidence that at about 3:30 a.m. March 21, 2015, Conway went to a cousin’s home in the 1700 block of Papoose Road, Carpentersville, and placed a handgun and later a wad of cash on the kitchen table. One other adult was present in the kitchen and two children were asleep in the home. The victim, the mother of the children, entered the kitchen and confronted Conway about the handgun, a Ruger Blackhawk .357 magnum revolver. She placed the gun in a drawer, told Conway to leave, and then took a $20 bill from Conway for her troubles.

Conway retrieved the gun and fired it at a kitchen wall, then demanded she return his money. She took another $20 bill for damage to her wall, and Conway fired another shot. Both bullets went through the kitchen wall and outside toward the street. Conway then grabbed the victim by the throat, placed the muzzle of the gun to her forehead, and forced her into the living room and onto the couch. He then called to the victim’s children to “come watch her die.”

The confrontation ended a short time later, Conway left the home and the victim called 911.

Conway was prohibited from possessing the gun because of his prior convictions, which include cocaine delivery, aggravated battery, domestic battery, unlawful possession of a weapon, battery and aggravated assault.

Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles set Conway’s next court appearance for 9 a.m. Nov. 17, 2015, for motions and to set a sentencing date. Conway faces a sentence of between six and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Conway faces an extended prison term because of his criminal history.

Conway remains in custody at the Kane County jail, where he had been held since his arrest in lieu of $250,000 bail. Bond was revoked upon conviction.

The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Mark D. Stajdohar and Kelley V. Flinn.

SOURCE: Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office press release