Federal indictment charges man with illegal possession of machine gun in Chicago – The Southland Journal

Federal indictment charges man with illegal possession of machine gun in Chicago (Chicago, IL) – A man has been arrested on a federal firearm charge for allegedly unlawful possession of a loaded machine gun in Chicago.

An indictment released today in US District Court in Chicago charges KEYZOE WILLIAMS, 21, of Chicago, with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. The indictment accuses Williams of owning a handgun equipped with a conversion device, also known as an “autocomplete” or “Glock switch.” The device transformed the firearm into a machine gun capable of automatically firing more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger, according to the indictment. Williams is said to have owned the machine gun in Chicago from February through August of this year.

Williams was arrested this morning and first appeared in federal court this afternoon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox has scheduled a detention hearing for December 14, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.

The indictment

The indictment and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen de Tineo, special agent in charge of the Chicago Field Division of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Willowbrook, Illinois Police Department, Illinois State Police, Chicago Police Department, DuPage County State Attorney’s Office, and DuPage Metropolitan Response and Investigation Team. The government is represented by Special Assistant to the US Prosecutor Peter Madriñan.

Holding illegal gun owners accountable through federal prosecutions is a central part of Plan safe neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime Reduction Strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney General Lausch and his law enforcement partners deployed the PSN program to tackle a wide range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearms offenses.

Innocent until proven guilty

The public is reminded that an indictment is not proof of guilt. The accused is presumed innocent and has the right to a fair trial during which the government bears the burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the indictment carries a sentence of up to ten years in federal prison. Yes sentenced, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal law and the United States sentencing guidelines.

Federal indictment charges man with illegal possession of machine gun in Chicago