Police: Man Had More Than 50 Guns In Crystal Lake Home
(CRYSTAL LAKE) -- A Crystal Lake attorney - who was accused of making phone threats against a state commission that was investigating him - has been arrested, and police say an arsenal of rifles, shotguns and handguns was found in his home.
Crystal Lake Police responded Thursday, Jan. 19 to a call of a possible intoxicated motorist around 10:20 p.m. in the first block of North Williams Street. Officers located the vehicle, occupied by a lone male subject, identified as 50-year-old Donald F. Franz, according to Crystal Lake police.
Franz became uncooperative and combative with police and resisted arrest, police said. During his arrest, police found Franz with a loaded firearm, along, along with additional rounds of assorted ammunition in his vehicle. Franz was taken into custody.
Crystal Lake Police Investigators obtained a search warrant for Franz's residence and vehicle, after gathering information from the arrest.
Police executed Friday, Jan. 20 around 4:30 p.m. a search warrant of Franz's home, in the 300 block of Dartmoor Court in Crystal Lake. Police say they found a cache of 56 guns - 36 high-powered rifles, assault rifles and shotguns, 20 assorted handguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Franz had been under investigation by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission for - among other things - allegedly insulting a client's manhood and challenging him to a duel.
The commission said Franz threatened the life of the commission's investigators and administrator in September - leaving a voice mail that said, "You're a (blank) dead man."
Franz faces felony counts of aggravated DUI, aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated resisting a police officer, possession of a firearm without requisite FOID; and misdemeanor counts of possession of a suspended driver's license, possession of firearm ammunition without a requisite FOID, possession of a revoked conceal carry license, possession of a revoked FOID card and carrying a concealed firearm while under the influence.
Franz was later confined at the McHenry County Jail, where his bond was set at $50,000.
Investigation into this matter continues. Additional charges are expected.
