A suspected methamphetamine-trafficking operation led to the sentencing of Ricky Dale Niswonger, Jr., 32, a Galesburg, Illinois man, to 10 years in prison.
Niswonger was found guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a charge that carries a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release.
On April 6, 2022, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow sentenced Niswonger after finding that he possessed the firearms in connection with methamphetamine trafficking. The court also found that Niswonger had attempted to intimidate a possible witness in his case, which warranted a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice.
The case against Niswonger began when law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on his car as part of the investigation into the suspected methamphetamine-trafficking operation. In the car, they found five firearms, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest.
Niswonger had pleaded guilty to the offense in April 2021. The Galesburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Mathew and Grant Thomas Hodges represented the government in the prosecution.
Niswonger will serve 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The statutory penalties for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon are a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release.
Related Federal Cases
- Davon Brown, Felon in Possession of Firearm, NY 2020 · New York
- Austin Curtis, Possession of Firearm as Fugitive, Cedar Rapids IA, … · Iowa
- William D Roper, Illegal Firearm Possession, IL 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Lorenzo Carlos Pfeifer, Felon in Possession, IN 2024 · Indiana
- Joshua Walker, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Ohio 2024 · Kentucky
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
