East St. Louis Man Sentenced For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

ReSean Ridgel, a 25-year old East St. Louis, Illinois resident, was sentenced in the United States District Court on June 10, 2013, to 46 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced.

According to court documents, Ridgel pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing an unregistered firearm, commonly referred to as a sawed-off shotgun, in February 2011 after having been convicted of retail theft. Having considered these facts and Ridgel’s multiple prior criminal convictions, the Court sentenced Ridgel to 46-months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal prison system. In addition to the prison sentence, Ridgel must serve 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. According to United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton, “My office remains committed to prosecuting criminals who illegally arm themselves. We will continue to protect our communities from unauthorized gun possession. A sentence such as Ridgel’s serves to exemplify that unwavering commitment.”

This case was investigated by the East St. Louis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. Stump prosecuted the offense.