ALTON – Two local men face felonies for alleged unlawful weapon possession in separate cases from Alton area authorities.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Malcolm E. Byrd, 41, of Alton, was charged with a Class 4 felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons.
Byrd allegedly carried a Ruger 9mm handgun in his vehicle on June 29, 2025, which was uncased, loaded, and immediately accessible at the time of the offense. Byrd also had not been issued valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card.
The Alton Police Department presented the case against Byrd, who was ordered released from custody pending trial.
In an unrelated case, Michael R. Miller, 57, of Wood River, was charged with two counts of felon in possession of a weapon, both Class 3 felonies.
Miller reportedly knowingly possessed a switchblade knife and one 12 gauge shotgun shell on Sept. 8, 2025. Charging documents state he had previously been convicted of burglary in Cook County on Jan. 22, 2019.
According to the state’s petition to deny Miller’s pretrial release from custody, he allegedly committed these latest offenses while on pretrial release from custody in two open domestic battery cases. He was ordered to have no contact with the domestic battery victim, who he was reportedly involved in a confrontation with in this case.
Miller’s latest case was presented by the East Alton Police Department; the state’s petition was granted and he currently remains in custody at the Madison County Jail.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
