PEORIA, IL – Anthony Derrell Morris, 22, of Peoria, Illinois, is headed to federal prison for thirty months after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence was handed down December 20, 2022, by U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, and includes three years of supervised release following incarceration.
The case unfolded in May 2022 when Peoria Police Department officers located a stolen 2016 Honda Fit. Surveillance quickly revealed Morris entering the vehicle. As officers moved in, they spotted a loaded .380 caliber pistol tucked between Morris’s leg and the center console – the gun itself had also been reported stolen. Morris, already a convicted felon for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, knew he wasn’t supposed to have a firearm. He confessed to obtaining the weapon illegally the day before his arrest.
According to court documents, Morris was arrested and indicted in May 2022, eventually pleading guilty in August of the same year. He’s been held by the U.S. Marshals Service ever since. Federal law carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the charge of possession of a firearm by a felon, but Judge Shadid opted for the 30-month sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna, who prosecuted the case, stated the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working alongside federal and local law enforcement to hold individuals accountable for illegally possessing firearms. This case serves as a warning: convicted felons caught with guns in Illinois will face serious federal consequences.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Peoria Police Department. The prosecution of Morris falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
PSN emphasizes building trust with residents, supporting local violence prevention groups, focusing enforcement efforts, and rigorously tracking results. While the program aims for long-term community safety, the immediate outcome in this case is a clear message: illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon will not be tolerated in Peoria, or anywhere else in the Central District of Illinois.
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