April 3, 2021- 10:15 p.m
A Chicago man faces Class X armed violence charges after police allegedly found him with a gun, cash, and drugs during a street stop that started when the officers saw him standing on the street with “a huge glass bong in his hand,” prosecutors said.
But the really wild part is this: In addition to allegedly having a “huge glass bong,” he was also on bail and electronic monitoring for attempted murder.
Cops were on patrol Tuesday when they saw Raul Carpintero standing near a parked car with a fanny pack on his waist and the enormous bong in his hand, Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Burkhardt said during a bond court hearing.
As the officers watched Carpintero, he allegedly removed the fanny pack and threw it into the car. Police investigated and found a loaded 9-millimeter handgun, 175 ecstasy pills, and $4,645 cash inside the fanny pack, Burkhardt said.
Prosecutors charged Carpintero, age 22, with Class X armed violence, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of a controlled substance.
Carpintero’s defense attorney told Judge Susana Ortiz that the judge in his attempted murder case permitted him to be outside his home while on electronic monitoring to travel for work.
“I am sure that Judge [Carol] Howard did not grant him movement to be hanging out on the street while holding a bong,” Ortiz replied.
She set bail for Carpintero at $100,000 and said he must also go onto electronic monitoring “for what it’s worth.” Ortiz also ordered him held without bail for violating the terms of bond in the attempted murder case.
Burkhardt told Ortiz that Caprintero was originally ordered held without bond in the attempted murder on March 3, 2019, but Howard reduced the bail to $100,000 in February 2020. He went home on electronic monitoring by posting a $10,000 deposit bond the next month.
The attempted murder allegations stem from a February 2019 drug-related robbery that left 34-year-old Antoine Grant dead.
During a bond hearing for Caprintero’s alleged accomplice, prosecutors said the two met with Grant and another person to sell some marijuana that the accomplice advertised on Facebook.
While the four traveled around in a Ford Fusion to complete the deal, Carpintero pulled out a gun and pointed it at Grant and his companion, prosecutors said.
Grant and Carpintero allegedly struggled for control of the weapon and a shot rang out inside the car.
Meanwhile, a Ford Explorer collided with the Ford Fusion that Carpintero, Grant, and the others were riding in. Grant’s companion ran from the car and saw two men from the Explorer fire shots into the Fusion.
Carpintero was shot in the arm but ran away with his alleged accomplice, prosecutors said. Grant was shot three times and died. Prosecutors said in 2019 that police believed up to five people were involved in the robbery attempt.
