A Chicago man, convicted of a previous gun-related felony, has been slammed with a five and a half year prison term for his role in illegal gun dealing, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. Jesus Sanchez, 23, had been dealing deadly firearms on the streets from April to June of last year, even selling seven guns to an undercover agent, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago confirmed.

Things went south for Sanchez when a court-authorized search at his residence turned up three boxes of .22-caliber ammunition, ten firearm magazines, and, as luck would have it, federal agents caught Sanchez tossing a gun into a neighbor's yard as they arrived. Despite his past misdeeds barring him from possessing any firearm, Sanchez pleaded guilty to federal firearm offenses earlier this year, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly didn't mince words when he handed down the 66-month sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Steindorf argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum that such traffickers feed the cycle of gun violence in Chicago. "Defendant's conduct in this case demonstrated not only a complete disregard for the law, but also had the potential to endanger the community," she underscored.

Sanchez's capture and conviction mark a win for the Department of Justice's Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, which focuses on cracking down on the flow of illegal arms. Involved in this concerted effort are the ATF, CPD, and other local and national partners working tirelessly to stop illegally trafficked firearms, and more importantly, their paths to crimes of violence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also pushing Project Safe Neighborhoods, aimed at roping in law enforcement, and community leaders to address violent crimes with a focus on firearm offenses, the release noted.