East St. Louis Man Sentenced For Firearm Offense

Joseph L. Edwards, 26, of East St. Louis, IL, was sentenced in federal district court on May 20, 2013, in East St. Louis, IL, to 30 months’ in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $100 fine, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

At his plea, Edwards admitted that on October 25, 2011, he possessed a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted on August 21, 2009, of a state felony offense. Court proceedings revealed that law enforcement officials recovered one Smith and Wesson, .38 Special Caliber, five-shot revolver and four .38 special cartridges at his residence in East St. Louis, Illinois, after investigating an anonymous tip regarding the firing of guns at the home.

This case resulted from the efforts of the WAVE (Working Against Violent Elements) Task Force, which focuses its efforts on combating violent crime in East St. Louis, Washington Park, and surrounding communities. The WAVE Task Force receives financial support through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide federal program which endeavors to address gun-related violence.

This investigation was conducted by the WAVE Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.