Benny Davis Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal Gun Possession

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – In a shocking case of gun violence, Benny Davis, 37, of Granite City, Illinois, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing firearms while being a convicted felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by the Hartford Police Department for traffic infractions on March 7, 2022. Police officers discovered a rifle, three shotguns, and a stolen handgun during a search of the vehicle. The recovered firearms were all loaded at the time of the traffic stop.

The investigation revealed that Davis had fired the guns the day prior to his arrest, and he admitted to being a convicted felon at the time of his arrest, which prevented him from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the government’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

The investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell.

Benny Davis, 37, of Granite City, Illinois, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing firearms while being a convicted felon. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison.

As part of the investigation, police officers discovered a rifle, three shotguns, and a stolen handgun in the vehicle Davis was a passenger in. The recovered firearms were all loaded at the time of the traffic stop.

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