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by: Brian Weckerly
Posted: Aug 22, 2022 / 11:43 AM CDT
Updated: Aug 22, 2022 / 11:46 AM CDT
by: Brian Weckerly
Posted: Aug 22, 2022 / 11:43 AM CDT
Updated: Aug 22, 2022 / 11:46 AM CDT
A Peoria man has been sentenced to federal prison for charges of possessing a machine gun.
Don Young, Jr., 22, was sentenced August 18 to 37 months in federal prison for possession of a machine gun, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Young was indicted in December 2021 and filed his change of plea in April. Young has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to court records, the government presented evidence that on December 15, 2021, Peoria police officers were attempting to arrest Young for an outstanding arrest warrant, and Young fled on his bike and then on foot, leading police on a chase between houses in the 2400 block of Ellis Avenue, Peoria. After apprehending Young at gunpoint, police searched the area and found a Glock, Model 19, 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a high-capacity magazine loaded with 33 rounds of ammunition. An additional round of ammunition was loaded in the chamber of the gun. The gun had an aftermarket conversion “switch” attached to it, a device designed to convert Glock pistols into automatic firearms capable of shooting more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Glock conversion “switches” are defined as machine guns under federal law. Young admitted to possessing the firearm, claiming it was for protection.
The statutory penalties for possession of a machine gun are up to 10 years’ imprisonment, up to a three-year term of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The Peoria Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case against Young is part of as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which unites law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make neighborhoods safer.
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