Three area men have been sentenced to federal prison on separate firearm offenses.
Leon Johnson, 28 and Dakota L. Childs, 26, both of Granite City, were each sentenced to 37 months, according to a news release from U.S. State’s Attorney Donald S. Boyce.
Johnson was convicted of one count of felon in possession of a firearm. When he was arrested, Johnson had been on supervised release in a prior federal case involving a conviction for felon in possession of a firearm. After Johnson was arrested, a petition to revoke his supervised release was filed.
His sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. As part of the agreement, Johnson will forfeit the illegal firearm in his possession.
Johnson was involved in a Nov. 9, 2016 incident in which East St. Louis police responded to a call that shots had been fired in the Norman E. Owens Housing Projects. Officers found Johnson sitting on a park bench with a loaded gun at his feet, according to a news release. A housing authority official identified him as the man who had fired the pistol in the air moments earlier. The case was investigated by East St. Louis Police and prosecuted by U.S. Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Hoell.
Childs was sentenced by Judge Staci Yandle. The 37-month sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release, along with a $250 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Childs also agreed to forfeit his weapon.
Childs was initially stopped for speeding, erratic driving and disobeying a red traffic light. After Childs was arrested for reckless driving and other offenses, officers searched his vehicle and found a loaded pistol on the floorboard of his vehicle, according to a news release. The case was investigated by Granite City Police and prosecuted by U.S. Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Hoell.
On March 12, Judge Nancy Rosenstengel sentenced Marc Biggs, 34 of Pontoon Beach, to 30 months in federal prison. The sentence includes three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. Biggs also agreed to forfeit his weapon.
The case was investigated by the Madison Police Department, who had initially responded to a call about removing squatters from an apartment building. During a search of the apartment, officers found Biggs, a previously convicted felon, hiding in a bedroom. They also confiscated a rifle found in the bedroom, according to the release.