Mattew Eric Moultrie, Unlawful Possession of Firearm, Illinois 2018

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island felon has been handed a seven-year prison sentence for illegally possessing a firearm, according to court documents.

Mattew Eric Moultrie, 20, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow on Sept. 16, 2019, for the crime, which was committed on Sept. 14, 2018. The sentence will be served consecutively to two other criminal cases Moultrie has in Rock Island County.

Moultrie pleaded guilty to the federal indictment on March 9, 2019, which charged him with possessing a firearm as a felon. According to court documents, Moultrie, a self-identified gang member, fired multiple rounds at an occupied vehicle in Rock Island on Sept. 14, 2018.

After officers identified Moultrie later that evening, he fled into an occupied home, leading to a two-hour standoff with law enforcement. Moultrie eventually surrendered and was arrested.

Chief Judge Darrow found that Moultrie’s criminal behavior was aggravated, posing a serious risk to his victims, the arresting officers, and the community at large. The sentence was above the guideline range prescribed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Knight represented the government in the federal prosecution, in coordination with the Rock Island County State’s Attorney’s Office.

In a statement, authorities said that Moultrie’s actions were a threat to public safety and that he will now face the consequences of his actions. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of taking illegal firearms off the streets and holding those responsible accountable for their crimes.

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