EAST ST. LOUIS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FIREARMS OFFENSE

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 6, 2009, DARTALIAN A. RICHARDSON, age 36, of East St. Louis, Illinois, pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging the unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. RICHARDSON also agreed to forfeit the firearm. The violation occurred on June 4, 2008, when RICHARDSON bought a firearm from an unidentified individual in East. St. Louis, Illinois, for $150. RICHARDSON admitted to the purchase of the firearm when he was arrested on June 17, 2008, regarding an aggravated assault complaint.

The offense carries with it a maximum penalty of not more than ten (10) years' imprisonment, or a $250,000 fine, or both, and not more than three (3) years' supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2009, in East St. Louis, Illinois.

The investigation was conducted by the Centreville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as part of those agencies’ participation in Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nation-wide initiative intended to combat gun and drug crimes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.