NewsThursday, September 20, 2007 6:48 PM CDT

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Teen pleads not guilty in Pontiac H.S. gun case

By Tony Sapochetti
tsapochetti@pantagraph.com

PONTIAC — A Pontiac Township High School teen accused of bringing handguns to school to sell pleaded not guilty to weapons charges Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the juvenile-court version of a trial for a 15-year-old boy also charged in the Aug. 28 incident has been scheduled for next week, but prosecutors are still waiting on evidence that could delay the hearing.

In a hearing Wednesday in adult court, Sean Sullivan, 16, of Odell, pleaded not guilty to a dozen felony charges of unlawful possession of weapons. Prosecutors say six counts are for bringing the guns on a school bus and six are for bringing the guns into the school.

Authorities say Sullivan brought the guns in a backpack on a school bus from Odell. He planned to sell them to Martin Huerta Jr., 15, of Saunemin, who faces the same weapons charges, plus an additional cocaine possession count, authorities say.

Sullivan and Huerta have been charged as adults but remained in juvenile detention.

The student who is charged as a juvenile handled one of the guns on the bus, prosecutors said.

Another student on the bus was shown the guns and then told a school-based officer, prompting a 3½-hour lockdown and search.

Sullivan is scheduled to return to court for a hearing on Oct. 17. Huerta, who also has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to return to court Oct. 18, and both have November trial dates.

The juvenile is scheduled for an adjudicatory hearing — the juvenile-court equivalent of a trial — on Sept. 25 in Livingston County Circuit Court in Pontiac.

The boy, whose name is being withheld because he was charged as a juvenile, is charged with one count of unlawful use of a weapon.

First Assistant State’s Attorney Carey Luckman said Tuesday that witnesses have been subpoenaed regarding the case.

Fingerprint evidence, which Luckman said represented the bulk of the prosecution’s case, also is being worked on. An independent expert witness who specializes in fingerprinting is set to testify at the hearing, Luckman said.

If the juvenile is deemed to be delinquent — the juvenile court equivalent of a conviction — he could be sentenced to anything from five years of probation to 15 years in state custody.

He remains in custody. He recently was transferred from McLean County’s juvenile detention facility to one in Ottawa.

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Reader comments on this story - 10 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Parent wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:17 AM:

" lock them up for a long while!!! Dumb A**es "

GUNS STOLEN wrote on Sep 20, 2007 1:03 PM:

" FROM HIS FATHER...It was in the newspaper too. this is the second time hestealsfrom his dad. "

Question wrote on Sep 20, 2007 1:02 PM:

" If he was the one to take the guns to school, then why is he plea-ing not guilty? is it because he changed his story to the truth? (he wasnt going to sell them) "

i say wrote on Sep 20, 2007 12:59 PM:

" lets just give him a time out isnt that what the experts say now days spare the rob and spoil the child i would have never even thought of stealing my fathers guns are anyone elses for that matter what has happened to the kids is the experts that say we cant desipline pour kids "

to: i want to know wrote on Sep 20, 2007 12:01 PM:

" If you have been following the story, they were stolen. "

concerned wrote on Sep 20, 2007 12:01 PM:

" So he stole the guns....why would you convict the person whom he stole from? Think about it. "

I Want To Know wrote on Sep 20, 2007 6:05 AM:

" where he got 6 guns and what attempts are being made to bring that person to justice. "

Brenstalka wrote on Sep 19, 2007 2:11 PM:

" If he said he's not guilty, then he's not guilty. Why do we even need to pay for a trial? "

How can he plead wrote on Sep 19, 2007 1:39 PM:

" Not guilty?! "

Again wrote on Sep 19, 2007 11:44 AM:

" Kudos to the student who spoke up and told the officer at the school. I'm sure it wasn't an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. "

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