PEORIA, IL – A Peoria-area woman’s decision to illegally purchase a handgun for her son culminated in a 44-month federal prison sentence, authorities announced Tuesday. Kirstin Sue Jackson, 40, of Washington, Illinois, knowingly lied on federal forms to obtain a Glock Model 19x pistol in May 2021, a weapon later connected to a deadly shooting that left one man dead.
The case, spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), revealed Jackson purchased the firearm from Pekin Gun and Sporting Goods, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer. In reality, the gun was intended for her 18-year-old son, Eric Jackson, who was legally prohibited from owning a firearm. This “straw purchase” is a federal offense, and one prosecutors argued directly contributed to the violence that followed.
Just two months after the purchase, the Glock was discharged at the scene of a shooting in the 600 block of Haungs Avenue in Peoria. Michael Johnson, 21, was struck in the head and died from his injuries. Police investigating the homicide swiftly connected the weapon to Eric Jackson, recovering it during searches of his car, home, and phone. The searches also unearthed cannabis, thousands of dollars in cash, ammunition including a 50-round drum magazine, and text messages indicating Jackson knew her son was involved in drug trafficking.
Those texts, presented as evidence at the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, were particularly damning. In a May 2021 message, Jackson pleaded with her son, “Please. Do not let me get my [FOID] card taken or my name on someone’s body.” This chilling premonition proved tragically accurate. Jackson admitted to ATF agents in August 2021 that she’d lied on the gun store forms, purchased the Glock for her son because he needed “protection,” and even bought ammunition for him.
Judge Shadid, while acknowledging he didn’t believe Jackson *intended* the ultimate harm, stated the 44-month sentence was justified given her actions “set in motion the chain of events” leading to Johnson’s death and the injuries of others. Jackson, who was initially indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty in September 2022, will also serve a three-year term of supervised release following her imprisonment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna emphasized that “straw purchasing is not a victimless crime,” and warned that such actions “fuel violence in our communities.”
The statutory penalties for making a false statement during a firearm purchase carry a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. This case serves as a stark reminder that providing weapons to those legally barred from possessing them carries severe consequences, even if the purchaser doesn’t directly pull the trigger. Eric Jackson’s case remains ongoing, as he faces charges related to the July 2021 shooting.
Related Federal Cases
- Kyle Jackson, False Statements to Purchase Firearms, Indiana 2019 · Illinois
- Darrion Young, Firearms Possession and False Statement, LA 2023 · Illinois
- Darrion Young, Gun Possession and False Statements, LA 2015 · Illinois
- Gregory L. Thorpe, Jr. False Statement to Acquire Firearm Indiana 2021 · Illinois
- Daniel Hill Sentenced to 10 Years for Stolen Gun Possession, Baltim… · Illinois
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