Today, Willie Evans, a 35-year-old man from Rockford, was sentenced to eighty months in prison for illegal possession of firearms and drug trafficking by a federal judge.
The U.S. Department of Justice discloses that Evans, a convicted felon, admitted to possessing a firearm and intending to sell drugs, thereby breaking federal laws. He was found with a loaded handgun and several baggies containing cocaine and ecstasy on February 23, 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson underlined in the sentencing memo that these offenses pose a significant community threat.
Noting the link between drug trafficking and gun violence, the Department of Justice has focused on prosecuting illegal firearm possessors under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. This initiative aims to reduce violent crime.
