Chicago Man Faces 14 Felony Counts After Evanston Police Raid a Rogers Park Home

A 48-year-old Chicago man is facing 14 felony counts after Evanston police raided his Rogers Park home on Friday, October 30, and seized drugs, firearms and suspected homemade incendiary devices, according to the Evanston Police Department.

The department said its Special Operations Group began investigating Ernest W. Pentek after learning about an alleged drug operation in the Evanston and Chicago areas, and gathered evidence indicating he had several weapons. On Friday, investigators executed a search warrant at Pentek's home in the 6900 block of North Ashland Avenue on Chicago's North Side. He was arrested without incident, according to the department's release as summarized in the reports.

During the search, officers seized 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 7.1 grams of suspected heroin, 39 suspected MDMA pills, roughly 2.6 pounds of suspected cannabis and a substance believed to be GHB, the department said. They also confiscated four firearms, an airsoft rifle, ballistic protective equipment, several suspected homemade incendiary devices and $1,185 in cash. The Evanston Special Response Team and the Cook County Sheriff's Police Bomb Squad assisted in the operation.

The 14 felony counts include multiple counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an aggravated unlawful-possession count involving a shotgun with a barrel shorter than 18 inches, a count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, and several controlled-substance possession and intent-to-deliver counts, according to the reports of the charges. Pentek was due to appear in court on October 31 for a first hearing in the case. The charges are allegations, and Pentek is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.