ROCKFORD — A Belvidere man was sentenced on firearms charges
today by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard. MICHAEL TAPIA, 26, of
Belvidere, Ill., was sentenced to a total of 20 years in federal prison and to
3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. Tapia did not appear at
the sentencing and was sentenced in absentia after Judge Reinhard found that
Tapia was knowingly and voluntarily absent.
On Aug. 25, 2016, following a four-day jury trial, Tapia was
found guilty of one count of conspiring to receive, possess, conceal, store,
sell, and dispose of stolen firearms and ammunition; one count of receiving,
possessing, concealing, and storing stolen firearms and ammunition; and one
count of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Three other area men who were also charged in the case previously pleaded
guilty to firearm charges: TEOVANNI CUNNINGHAM, 32, of Rockford, Ill., MICHAEL
SCHAFFER, 34, and DARRELL REED, 28, of Byron, Ill.
According to the indictment and evidence at trial, on Dec.
31, 2012, Tapia and Cunningham broke into a residence in northern Illinois and
stole over 21 firearms and ammunition from the residence. Tapia and Cunningham
later transferred some of the concealed stolen firearms to their co-defendants
and stored some of the firearms at other locations.
Cunningham pleaded guilty on May 31, 2016, to conspiring to
receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen firearms and
ammunition; receiving, possessing, concealing, and storing stolen firearms and
ammunition; and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon.
Cunningham was sentenced on Sept. 20, 2016, to a total of 188 months in federal
prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay
restitution in the amount of $12,723.99.
Reed pleaded guilty on June 15, 2016, to receiving,
possessing, concealing, storing, selling, and disposing of stolen firearms, and
was sentenced on Oct. 17, 2016, to one year and one day in federal prison, to
be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in
the amount of $750.00. Schaffer pleaded guilty on June 3, 2016, to conspiring
to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen firearms and
ammunition. Schaffer has not yet been sentenced.
The sentencing was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United
States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and George Lauder,
Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Federal Bureau of
Investigation, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, Rockton Police Department
and Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Talia Bucci and Michael D. Love.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment