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Press Release

Creal Springs Man Indicted And Arraigned On Charges Of Illegal Possession And Transfer Of Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shotgun And Firearm Silencer

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Illinois

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Robert Ira Longworth, 27, of Creal Springs, Williamson County, Illinois, was arraigned on federal firearm charges on May 2, 2014. On April 8, 2014, authorities arrested Longworth. He was first charged by criminal complaint and then by indictment. He is detained.

Counts one through three of the indictment charge Longworth with the illegal transfers of a firearm silencer; a short barreled rifle; and a short barreled shotgun, respectively. Count four charges Longworth with the illegal possession of a short barreled rifle. Each of the four counts carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Illinois State Police, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, the Creal Springs Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamson County State’s Attorney, and the Johnson County State’s Attorney. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Coonan.

Updated February 19, 2015