Fairfield Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Stolen Firearms

Chance W. Young, 29, of Fairfield, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging him with knowingly possessing stolen firearms, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on September 4th, alleged that Young possessed the firearms between June 30th and July 1st of this year. Young possessed a total of 4 stolen firearms which had been taken during a burglary of a Wayne County residence between those dates. Thus far, only two of the firearms have been recovered.

Sentencing was set for February 28, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Benton. At that time, Young faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration.

Young has been held without bond in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on the federal charges in September. He was again remanded to the Marshal’s custody to await sentencing.

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.