Convicted Felon Who Fired Handgun near Wrigley Field Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Charge

CHICAGO — A convicted felon who fired a handgun near Wrigley Field pleaded guilty today to a federal firearm charge.

HOYTUAN PIERCE discharged the handgun on Oct. 13, 2015, during a dispute with several individuals in the 3400 block of North Clark Street in Chicago.  No one was injured.  Pierce had previously been convicted of a felony and was not legally allowed to possess the gun. 

The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m.  Earlier that evening at nearby Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals to clinch the National League Division Series.

Pierce, 33, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in a plea declaration to one count of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm.  The conviction carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo set sentencing for April 7, 2017.

The guilty plea was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; George Lauder, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Eddie Johnson, Chicago Police Superintendent.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cornelius Vandenberg and Ankur Srivastava.