Convicted In 2020 Joliet Homicide, Javontae Gray Arrested Again

JOLIET, IL — A 23-year-old Joliet man who was sentenced in late May for his role in a deadly shootout involving two cars along Republic Avenue in February 2020 has been arrested again by Joliet police, this time on felony weapons charges.

Javontae Gray was booked into the Will County Jail around 6 a.m. Sunday, which is 10 days after his release from county detention.

Gray had been an inmate in the jail from Feb. 8, 2020 until June 3.

On Sunday, Joliet police arrested Gray on charges of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of a revoked FOID card. Another person who was with Gray, 21-year-old James Faint, was also sent to the Will County Jail on charges of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of ammunition and having no FOID.

A 31-year-old Joliet woman, Lakeshia Wade, was released on an I-Bond on charges of driving while having a revoked license.

Around 2:20 a.m. Joliet police stopped Wade's car in downtown Joliet at North Ottawa and West Washington Streets for a traffic violation, police said. Wade was driving and Faint and Gray were her passengers, police said.

Joliet police ordered everyone to step outside the car.

"Upon search of Gray, officers recovered a loaded handgun from Gray’s waistband. Gray was taken into custody without incident," Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

When officers searched the car, they found a second handgun in the glove box in front of where Faint was seated, police said.

On Monday afternoon, Will County Jail records showed that Gray's bail has been set at $50,000. The same bail was set for Faint.

On May 27, Joliet Patch reported that Javontae Gray pleaded guilty to the felony crime of obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to two years at the Illinois Department of Corrections and given credit for 476 days of time already served at the Will County Jail.

As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped Gray's more serious felony charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm. The deadly shootout happened shortly after noon on Feb. 7, 2020, just up the street from the AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center.

The shooting victim, 17-year-old Jeremiah Frazier, died from his multiple gunshot wounds two days later.

To read Joliet Patch's article on Gray's sentencing, go here.