Alvin Beasley, Drive-by Shooting, Illinois 2023

URBANA, IL – Alvin Beasley, 38, of Danville, Illinois, learned his fate in federal court Friday, receiving a 40-month prison sentence for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence follows a jury trial in September 2021 that revealed a far more disturbing picture than just a weapons charge. Beasley wasn’t just holding a gun; he used it in a reckless drive-by shooting targeting the home of his pregnant girlfriend.

Prosecutors laid out evidence at the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce detailing how Beasley unleashed several shots at the residence while she was inside. Adding insult to injury, Beasley was already on parole for a second-degree murder conviction at the time of the shooting. The government also presented damning jailhouse phone conversations where Beasley admitted to impulsive violent tendencies, stating he “just snap[s] out for no reason” and harbored a desire to “hurt people.” In another call, he confessed to being tired of drug dealing and simply wanting to “kill people.”

While initially facing a lesser sentence, Judge Bruce determined Beasley qualified as an Armed Career Criminal due to his extensive prior record, including convictions for armed robbery, aggravated battery, and the prior second-degree murder. This designation dramatically increased the potential penalties, exposing him to a sentence of fifteen years to life. The judge didn’t shy away from calling out Beasley’s attempt to mislead the court during the trial.

Beasley took the stand and admitted to firing at his girlfriend’s home, but attempted a flimsy defense by claiming he used a different firearm than the one he was charged with possessing. The jury saw through the deception and rightfully returned a guilty verdict. Judge Bruce specifically noted Beasley’s obstruction of justice as a factor in the sentencing.

“Gun violence has no place in our communities,” declared U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris in a released statement. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and ensure those who engage in gun violence are held accountable.” While the statement sounds like boilerplate, the sentence handed down to Beasley sends a clear message: armed criminals will face serious consequences.

The investigation was a collaborative effort led by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Illinois State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch secured the conviction and sentencing for the United States.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Byron Hawk Bear, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, South Dakota 2014

Jun 22, 2015

Weapons

Dylan Raymond Orr, Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device, Minnesota 2022

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Shaquan Saunders, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Connecticut 2023

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Tairon Jordan Bradley, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2023

Jul 1, 2025