A 25-year-old Cedar Rapids man, Tanner Williams, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a handgun stolen during a burglary. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, Williams admitted to being a felon, having been convicted on April 7, 2014, of Theft 2nd Degree. On May 18, 2014, a Cedar Rapids home was burglarized, and among the stolen property was a .22 caliber handgun. Williams pawned the firearm at a Cedar Rapids pawn shop two days after the burglary.
Williams initially lied to police, denying any involvement in the burglary and claiming that another person had asked him to pawn the handgun. However, he later admitted to the crime. During the sentencing hearing, the court refused to reduce the sentence for acceptance of responsibility and instead increased the sentence beyond the advisory guidelines range due to Williams’ conduct while on release pending trial.
The court found that Williams had violated the conditions of his release by repeatedly using marijuana and heroin, possessing ammunition as a felon, lying to probation officers and police, and possessing a stolen purse. As a result, Williams was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade.
In addition to the prison term, Williams was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and serve a three-year term of supervised release after his imprisonment. He is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney C.J. Williams and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
The case highlights the severity of penalties for felons found in possession of firearms, particularly those stolen during burglaries. The investigation and prosecution of such crimes are crucial in maintaining public safety and preventing further criminal activity. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, with the case file number being 14-cr-71.
The sentencing of Tanner Williams serves as a reminder of the consequences of criminal behavior and the importance of enforcing federal laws related to firearms and felonies. As the federal justice system continues to crack down on such crimes, individuals like Williams will face significant penalties for their actions.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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