Man facing federal gun charge in connection to murder of CPD Officer Aréanah Preston
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Indiana man is facing federal charges, accused of illegally selling a Glock handgun that later ended up in the hands of one of the suspects in the murder of Chicago Police Officer Aréanah Preston.
Prosecutors have not said the gun was the one used to kill Preston.
Corey Gray, 21, was arrested Wednesday morning, the same day as Preston's funeral, according to federal prosecutors.
The charges accuse Gray of traveling from Indiana to Chicago between October and December of 2021, and illegally selling a Glock 17 9mm handgun he'd obtained from a relative to a third person – identified in the charges only as "Lil' Pooh" – for $1,200. Gray's relative had originally purchased the gun legally in Valparaiso in April 2021, and then gave it to Gray.
According to the charges, Gray admitted he knew it was illegal for him to take the gun from Indiana to Illinois in order to sell it.
"Lil' Pooh" died on April 9, and the gun he bought from Gray was later found in the possession of one of the people arrested for the murder of Officer Preston. According to the charges, the Glock 17 has not been identified as the murder weapon.
Gray made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon, and was ordered held in custody pending a detention hearing on Monday.
Preston was killed early on Saturday, May 6, during a robbery outside her home in the Avalon Park neighborhood. The 24-year-old had just finished her shift when police said four people tried to rob her just steps from her door.
Four teens have been charged with robbing and killing Preston.
Jakwon Buchanan, 18, Joseph Brooks, 19, Trevell Breeland, 19--and Jaylen Frazier, 16, all face multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, and burglary. All four are being held without bail.
Police have said they were out looking for robbery victims in the overnight hours from May 5 into the morning of May 6. They are connected to multiple robberies and a motor vehicle theft earlier that morning, leading to the murder of Officer Preston.
The four pulled up in a stolen vehicle, a red Kia in the 8100 block of South Blackstone Avenue in the Avalon Park neighborhood. They approached Preston, who was in uniform, while armed.
One of the robbers fired shots at Preston, who returned fire. Police say at least two of the suspects fired weapons.
The robbers continued to shoot at her, and one of them took Preston's weapon before fleeing the scene, according to Carter. Her weapon has not been recovered.
Preston was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon, following her funeral at Trinity United Church of Christ.
