Rock Island Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Marques Dupree Wilson, 39, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to 100 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.

At the sentencing hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government established that Wilson not only possessed a firearm but discharged that firearm multiple times into an unoccupied home in Rock Island. During the hearing, Judge Darrow noted that Wilson had a significant criminal history, which included prior instances of inflicting harm on others.

Wilson pleaded guilty to the felon-in-possession count in July 2023. The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.

The Rock Island Police Department investigated the matter, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.