An Elgin Community College student who reportedly brought a firearm to campus will face a misdemeanor charge Feb. 24, according to Kane County Court records.
On Jan. 26, Jessica Jeffries had a semi-automatic Glock 43X and a 10-round magazine in her black purse that was left in classroom K139, according to ECC police records.
Around 11:30 p.m. that day, a custodian was cleaning the classroom and observed a purse “on a desk that was partially unzipped and noticed what appeared to be a firearm.” The custodian photographed the purse and moved it to a desk in an office, K138, according to ECC police records.
ECC Officer Juan Morales was dispatched to Building K to investigate a report of a purse that appeared to contain a firearm. There, he met the Director of Custodial Services, Luis Pasillas, who said a custodian called him at 8:40 a.m. to tell him he found a purse that appeared to have a firearm. Officer Rollin Hamelberg came to K128 to retrieve the purse.
Earlier that morning around 7 a.m., a student stopped by ECC police’s office and asked if someone had found a black Gucci purse the previous night. Police later identified the student as Jeffries, according to police records.
Inside the purse, police found a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card, a Conceal Carry License, and an expired driver’s license. Police contacted Jeffries and notified her that a purse was turned in. Around 1 p.m., Jeffries was interviewed by ECC officers and was read her Miranda rights.
Jefferies has two previous convictions for traffic violations and nearly $800 in outstanding fines, according to DuPage County Court records.
Jeffries said she “totally forgot” that she had her firearm in her purse. She usually leaves her firearm secured in her vehicle, but lately she has been getting dropped off at ECC, according to police records.
She “was issued a citation for Possession of a Concealed Firearm in a Prohibited Area.” The firearm later was placed into the police evidence locker.
According to the Illinois Concealed Carry Act, “a person, even with a concealed and carry permit, cannot knowingly carry a firearm into school.”
This charge is a Class B criminal misdemeanor.
Jefferies was prohibited from being on campus and returning to class until she met with the Dean of Students Vinny Cascio, according to police records.
Cascio said, “I am unable to comment on that matter. Federal privacy laws under FERPA prohibit me from discussing individual student situations or meetings.”
ECC Police Chief David Kintz emailed ECC students and employees about the incident on Jan. 29, which was roughly three days after the custodian found the firearm. According to Kintz’s statement, “at no time was there an active threat to the campus community.” The statement “reaffirm[ed] the campus weapons-free policy.”
Kintz declined to comment further.
The incident occurred in Building K, which is where the college’s English-as-a-Second Language courses are primarily held. It is also the location of where Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained an ECC student Sept. 18, 2025.
However, the police statement was only sent in English and did not include a Spanish translation. The day after the statement concerning the firearm was released, the college emailed a statement about a water break in Building J, and it had a Spanish translation.
