Bluford Man Charged With Illegally Possessing A Firearm

Craig L. Fenton, 47, of Bluford, Illinois, has been charged in United States District Court in Benton with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on May 9th, alleged that Fenton was found to be in possession of a loaded .38 special caliber revolver on April 2, 2013, in Wayne County. Prior to that date Fenton had been convicted of two felony offenses, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

If convicted, Fenton faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration. The firearm he illegally possessed is also subject to forfeiture to the United States.

Following a detention hearing held on May 14th, Fenton was denied bond and remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await further proceedings. Fenton’s next scheduled court appearance is July 11th at 9:30 a.m. for a final pre-trial conference at the Federal Courthouse in Benton.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

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