Parking Lot Gunfire Prompts Apartment Search, Arrest

A 32-year-old Chesterfield Township man was arraigned Monday on manufacturing marijuana and felony firearm charges, Tuesday.

Township police arrested Kevin Jude around 3 a.m. Saturday at the Willows Apartments near Interstate 94 and Cotton Road after receiving multiple 911 calls about gunfire. Responding officers found several 9mm casings in the complex parking lot, where they learned a man fired his gun during an argument with a woman, according to a news release.

Officers heard commotion inside the suspect's apartment, finding Jude, his 30-year-old girlfriend and two young children. During questioning about the gunfire, the woman told police that Jude was "just drunk and blowing off steam," police said.

"Officers received consent to search the apartment from the girlfriend and discovered marijuana plants growing in a closet and several baggies of marijuana packaged for sale," Detective Sgt. Deron Myers stated in the release.

They found live ammo in the apartment, but did not locate a gun, Myers said.

A tow truck was called to the scene because police suspected the weapon was inside Jude's vehicle. As the tow truck lifted the vehicle, a black semi-automatic 9mm handgun fell to the pavement from under the engine compartment area, he said. 

Jude was charged in in New Baltimore with felon in possession of a firearm, manufacturing marijuana and felony firearm. If convicted of all three felony charges, he could face up to 11 years behind bars. He was lodged in Macomb County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 cash bond.

For questions on the police blotter, email christy.arboscello@patch.com.