Oct. 29--A man with a lengthy criminal history has been found guilty of a felony after firing a handgun off inside a Carpentersville house and threatening a woman's life during an argument, according to Kane County prosecutors.
After deliberating about two hours, a jury returned a guilty verdict Wednesday against Chad W. Conway, 37, for being an armed habitual criminal.
Conway, a one-time Carpentersville resident whose most recent residence was in Roscoe, was charged after an incident that took place about 3:30 a.m. on March 21.
According to authorities, Conway went to the home of a relative in the 1700 block of Papoose Lane in Carpentersville, and there he placed a revolver and a wad of cash on the kitchen table. A woman, whose two children were asleep in the home, entered the kitchen and confronted Conway about the gun.
An argument ensued and Conway fired two shots through the kitchen wall toward the street. He then placed the gun against the woman's forehead and ordered her to sit on a couch, and then called out to her children to "come watch her die," authorities said.
The confrontation ended a short time later and Conway left, prosecutors said. The woman called 911.
Conway could not legally possess a handgun because of prior convictions for drug, battery and assault crimes, prosecutors said. He also had a previous conviction for unlawful possession of a weapon.
Because of his prior record, Conway faces an extended sentence of six to 60 years in prison. Judge Susan Clancy Boles, who presided over the trial, will likely set a sentence date at Conway's next court appearance, which is scheduled for Nov. 17.
Conway has been held in the Kane County jail on $250,000 bail since his arrest.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
