A Springfield, Illinois man has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for firearm possession and covid-19 fraud, authorities announced.
Demetrius S. Washington, 27, was sentenced on December 6, 2023, to a total of 108 months imprisonment, including 96 months for possession of a weapon by a felon and a consecutive 12 months for wire fraud. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Washington was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $10,843.84 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois said the charges stem from an unrelated case in March 2022, during which Washington, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a loaded Glock firearm with a 50 round drum magazine. The firearm was test-fired and shell casings were entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which reported a connection to an October 2021 shooting in Springfield.
That connection was confirmed by the ATF’s Forensic Science Laboratory, and further evidence showed that Washington gave the firearm to a juvenile who, moments later, fired multiple shots at an occupied sedan in the parking lot of a gas station. No one was injured in the shooting.
Washington was also found to have fraudulently obtained over $10,000 from the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Colleen R. Lawless noted that Washington’s conduct had resulted in innocent citizens of Springfield having to flee for safety. The judge further remarked that the sentence was necessary to protect the public and deter others from similar crimes.
Washington remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on April 26, 2022. He pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon by a felon and three counts of wire fraud on April 14, 2023.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Weapons|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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