A Dunlap man with a record has been slapped with a 30-month jail sentence for having a gun and bullets. Donald L. Yarber, 29, faced the music before U.S. Senior District Judge Michael M. Mihm on December 13, following a traffic stop in July that led to the discovery of the firearm and ammunition in his vehicle.
Based on a report by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois, police pulled over Yarber for a traffic infraction and smelled the distinct odor of cannabis. They went on to find a high-capacity mag and a 9mm handgun with an obscured serial number in the passenger area. In a surprising twist, while at the county jail, a live round of ammo was found in his shoe, matching those in the car.
The firearm Yarber was busted with was linked to two prior shootings—one in Chicago in 2021 and another in Peoria just days before his arrest. While the possibility of 15 years behind bars loomed over him, Yarber pleaded guilty this August, as detailed by federal prosecutors. He has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since the charges were brought against him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna, who served up the government's case, says the arrest and sentencing are a victory for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crackdown on violent crime and illegal guns. PSN aims to foster community trust and nip violence in the bud through strategic partnerships between law enforcement and local organizations.
