Fairfield Man Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearm In White County

Alvin L. Ewing, II, 51, of Fairfield, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to a two-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The offenses occurred on August 21, 2014, in White County.

The charges stemmed from a traffic stop conducted by the Illinois State Police on a motorcycle Ewing was driving near Grayville, Illinois. During the traffic stop the Grayville Police Department’s drug detection dog alerted on the motorcycle. A subsequent search of a box strapped to the motorcycle revealed a Bushmaster .223 caliber AR-15 style rifle and a high capacity magazine loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. Because he was a convicted felon, Ewing was placed under arrest. A search of Ewing incident to that arrest revealed 4 individually baggies of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and a hypodermic syringe. Ewing admitted that he knowingly possessed the firearm and was a user of methamphetamine.

Sentencing was set for October 6, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Benton. Because of his extensive prior conviction record, Ewing faces a minimum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release after his incarceration.

Ewing has been held without bond in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on federal charges in October 2014. He was returned to the custody of the Marshal to await sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, the Illinois State Police, and the Grayville Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.