JOHNATHAN BURGOS, Unlawful Firearms Dealing, Illinois 2025

Chicago Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Unlawful Firearms Dealing

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for unlawfully dealing more than a dozen firearms.

In 2020 and 2021, JOHNATHAN BURGOS, 33, illegally sold 14 firearms and multiple large-capacity magazines to an individual who was surreptitiously working on behalf of the FBI. The sales involved several stolen handguns, a gun with an obliterated serial number, and a rifle. During most of the transactions, Burgos was on either parole or bond with electronic monitoring from the Illinois Department of Corrections for firearm cases in state court.

Burgos pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal firearm charges. On Aug. 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Burgos to 16 years and eight months in federal prison.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.

“Defendant’s gun trafficking posed a severe danger to the community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He personally coordinated each sale and used coded language in phone calls and text messages to mask the illicit nature of his discussions.”

The case against Burgos was a significant blow to the city’s efforts to combat gun violence. The sentence sends a strong message that those who engage in unlawful firearms dealing will face severe consequences.

Burgos’s sentence is a result of a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case highlights the importance of community cooperation in preventing and investigating crimes.

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