East St. Louis Man Sentenced To 57 Months’ Imprisonment For Possession Of A Firearm By A Convicted Felon

An East St. Louis, Illinois, man was sentenced to a prison term in federal district court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on December 13, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Stephen Benson, 42, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced in federal district court in East St. Louis to 57 months’ imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a fine of $250, following his plea of guilty, on August 18, 2013, to an Indictment charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The charge relates to an incident that occurred on December 12, 2012, in East St. Louis, Illinois, when law enforcement officers, responding to Benson’s residence in reference to an assault, questioned Benson, who admitted having a firearm. Benson was previously convicted of Theft Under $300/Subsequent Offense, on or about September 9, 2010, in St. Clair County, Illinois, Case No. 10-CF-769. The firearm was a Raven, .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The sentencing judge also ordered forfeiture of the firearm and the ammunition contained therein.

The case was investigated by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Clark.