Federal Gun Charges Chicago

Federal Gun Charges Chicago: The 292% Surge Under Project Safe Neighborhoods

Federal gun prosecutions in Chicago surged 292% under Project Safe Neighborhoods in 2025 – from 26 cases to 102 through October alone. The Northern District of Illinois, which historically turned down gun cases at higher rates than almost any other city in America, is now processing every single gun case through ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center daily. Sixty-five agents, officers, analysts, and prosecutors work under one roof to trace firearms, match shell casings through NIBIN, and build federal cases against prohibited persons. When the federal government decides to take your case, the average sentence for felon-in-possession is 71 months. Nearly six years in federal prison.

And here’s what makes Chicago federal gun prosecution different from state prosecution. Sixty-eight percent of defendants are held pretrial with no bond. You sit in MCC Chicago for an average of 6.8 months before you’re even sentenced – before you know whether you’re doing 5 years or 10 years or 15 years. The conviction rate exceeds 90%. Only 3% of cases go to trial. The rest plead guilty because the evidence is overwhelming: shell casings matched through NIBIN, gun traces completed through CGIC, prior convictions documented.

Understanding federal gun charges in Chicago means understanding that the enforcement landscape has fundamentally changed. Project Safe Neighborhoods expanded to downtown and CTA trains in 2025 – the first time anywhere in the country PSN was deployed on mass transit. Machine gun conversion device seizures went from 81 in 2020 to 604 in 2024. If you’re a prohibited person carrying a firearm anywhere in the Northern District, federal prosecution is more likely now than it’s ever been.

The Crime Gun Intelligence Center That Processes Every Case

Heres how every gun case in Chicago gets federal review.

The Crime Gun Intelligence Center – CGIC – is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. Every single gun case in the Northern District is processed through ATF’s CGIC on a daily basis. This isnt random sampling. This isnt selective review. Every case.

The CGIC brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts under one roof. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco called it “one of the top three” such centers in the country. The 65-person operation moves quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes becuase everyone involved in the decision is sitting together.

Your gun case hits CGIC within 24 hours of your arrest. By the time your bond hearing happens, the federal government has already decided weather your case is worth prosecuting.

What happens at CGIC?

• ATF traces the firearm – determining were it was purchased, who purchased it, how it got to you
• NIBIN compares the shell casings to there database of ballistic evidence from crime scenes across the region
• Analysts check your criminal history
• Prosecutors evaluate wheather the case meets federal thresholds
• If it does, your state case becomes federal

The NIBIN Connection That Links You to Other Crimes

Heres the technology that connects shell casings across multiple shootings.

NIBIN – the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network – is the only national network that captures and compares ballistic evidence. Every firearm leaves unique markings on the cartridge casing. Those markings are as distinctive as fingerprints. NIBIN preserves clues long after a crime scene is cleaned up.

OK so heres what this means for defendants. If your gun was ever fired at a crime scene – any crime scene, anywhere NIBIN operates – those shell casings are in the database. When your gun is recovered and test-fired, the resulting casings are compared against everything in NIBIN. A match links your gun to that old shooting.

You might have been present at a shooting three years ago. Casings were recovered. Nobody was arrested. The case went cold. Now your arrested for simple possession, and NIBIN connects your gun to that old shooting. Suddenly your facing additional charges – potentially including murder.

This isnt hypothetical. ATF Special Agent Christopher Amon explained that investigators use NIBIN data to “track down armed robbery crews or other serial offenders.” The data connects detectives from different agencies working different cases. Your gun tells a story you might not want told.

The 922(g) Prohibited Person Trap

Heres the federal charge that catches most Chicago defendants.

18 U.S.C. § 922(g) makes it unlawful for certain prohibited persons to possess firearms or ammunition. The most common prohibition: prior felony conviction. But the list extends beyond felons:

• Anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more then one year
• Anyone convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence
• Anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order
• Anyone who is a fugitive from justice
• Anyone addicted to controlled substances
• Anyone adjudicated mentally defective
• Undocumented immigrants
• Anyone dishonorably discharged from military

Notice the felony definition. You dont have to be sentenced to prison for your prior to count. A suspended sentence still qualifies. Probation still qualifies. The crime just has to be PUNISHABLE by more then one year. That possession charge from 2015 that you got probation for? If it could have carried a year, your a prohibited person under federal law.

And heres the trap. Many defendants dont know there prohibited. They assume that old case is “off there record” or “expunged” or “doesnt count anymore.” Under federal law, it counts. It will always count unless you recieve a presidential pardon or the conviction is overturned.

The Armed Career Criminal Act Enhancement

Heres how three prior convictions trigger a 15-year mandatory minimum.

The Armed Career Criminal Act – ACCA – codified at 18 U.S.C. § 924(e), requires a 15-year mandatory minimum for anyone convicted of 922(g) who has three or more prior convictions for “violent felonies” or “serious drug offenses.”

Fifteen years. Mandatory. No discretion for the judge. No early release. You serve 85% minimum – aproximately 12.75 years of actual incarceration.

What qualifies as a “violent felony” under ACCA? The list includes burglary, arson, extortion, and offenses involving the use of explosives. It also includes any crime that “has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another.”

If you have three prior convictions for robbery, aggravated battery, or home invasion – common charges in Chicago – your facing a 15-year mandatory minimum the moment you touch a firearm.

The standard 922(g) violation carries a maximum of 10 years. ACCA transforms that into a 15-year floor. The difference between “up to 10” and “minimum 15” is enormous. And many Chicago defendants have the criminal history that triggers ACCA.

What 71 Months Actually Means

Heres what the average federal gun sentence looks like in practice.

The average sentence for 922(g) violations in fiscal year 2024 was 71 months. Thats nearly six years in federal prison. And unlike state prison, theres no parole in the federal system. You serve at least 85% of that sentence – aproximately 60 months, or five years.

But 71 months is the average. Cases with aggravating factors run higher:

Terrance Weathersby illegally possessed a loaded gun in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood in 2018. He had prior felony convictions including a firearm offense. Judge Thomas Durkin imposed an 87-month sentence – over seven years.

Angel Sosa fired more then a dozen shots at a man in Noble Square with a semiautomatic handgun equipped with an extended magazine. He was sentenced to 10 years – 120 months.

Anthony Morgan supplied guns to a violent Chicago gang. Of the seven guns he provided, two were linked to murders. He recieved 4 years – relatively light becuase he wasnt the shooter.

These arent outliers. These are what happens when federal prosecutors take gun cases in the Northern District.

The Pretrial Detention Reality

Heres what happens before your even convicted.

In the Northern District of Illinois, 68% of defendants are detained pretrial with no bond. Detained. No bond. Before conviction.

The average pretrial detention lasts 6.8 months. Thats nearly seven months sitting in the Metropolitan Correctional Center Chicago waiting to find out your fate. Your not in minimum security. Your not in a camp. Your in a federal detention facility with restrictions similar to maximum security.

Think about what that means practically:

• Your job is gone
• Your housing may be lost
• Your family is handling things without you
• Your attorney is preparing your defense while your locked up with limited access to documents and witnesses
• And you havent been convicted of anything yet

This pretrial detention creates pressure to plead guilty. If your looking at 6-10 years and youve already served 7 months waiting for trial, you might accept a plea deal just to start your sentence and get credit for time served. The 90%+ conviction rate in the Northern District isnt just about evidence strength – its about the practicalities of fighting cases from detention.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Expansion

Heres how the prosecution surge happened.

Project Safe Neighborhoods – PSN – is the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. It makes holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution a centerpiece of violent crime reduction.

In 2025, federal firearm indictments under PSN in the Northern District increased 292% – from 26 cases through October 2024 to 102 cases through October 2025. The number of defendants charged increased 287%.

But the expansion goes beyond numbers. In June 2025, PSN expanded to include downtown Chicago and the entire CTA rail system. This represented the first time anywhere in the country that PSN was deployed on mass transit. The first time Chicago’s downtown economic corridors were given federal PSN designation.

What this means: if your arrested with a gun on the L train or in the Loop, your case gets federal review through CGIC same as a case from Austin or Englewood. Federal prosecution is no longer limited to high-crime neighborhoods. Its everywhere.

The Machine Gun Conversion Device Problem

Heres the automatic weapon trigger thats catching Chicago defendants.

Chicago Police Department recovered 604 machine gun conversion devices in 2024. In 2020, they recovered 81. Thats a 646% increase in four years.

A machine gun conversion device – also called a “switch” or “auto sear” – converts a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon. Possessing the device is a federal crime regardless of whether its attached to a firearm.

Why does this matter for sentencing? Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime carries mandatory minimum sentences. If that firearm is a machine gun, the mandatory minimum is 30 years – even for first offenders.

Deshawn Danzler was given a break in a federal contempt case after promising to “break the cycle” of Chicago gun violence. Within months, he was arrested carrying a pistol with an extended magazine and automatic switch. The 62-month sentence was described as a “microcosm of how difficult it is for some to break free of the city’s culture of guns and gangs.”

The State vs Federal Calculation

Heres how the same gun creates dramaticaly different outcomes.

State gun charges in Illinois can result in probation, diversion programs, or sentences measured in months. Federal gun charges result in sentences measured in years.

Under Illinois state law, unlawful possession of a handgun is a Class 4 felony carrying 1-3 years. If the defendant has minimal criminal history, probation is often possible.

Under federal law, the same possession by a prohibited person carries up to 10 years – and the average sentence is 71 months. Probation is virtually never granted. Everyone goes to prison.

The decision about weather your case goes state or federal is made by prosecutors – not by you, not by your attorney. ATF presents cases to CGIC. Federal prosecutors evaluate them. If they take the case, your in federal court. If they decline, it stays state.

This creates tremendous uncertainty. You cant know at the time of arrest wheather your facing Illinois Class 4 sentencing or federal mandatory guidelines. The same conduct, the same gun, the same day – but completely different outcomes depending on which system prosecutes.

Common Mistakes in Chicago Federal Gun Cases

Defendants make predictable mistakes in federal firearms cases.

Mistake 1: Assuming your old conviction dosent count. It does. Any felony punishable by more then one year – even if you got probation – makes you a prohibited person under federal law.

Mistake 2: Talking to investigators without an attorney. Everything you say becomes evidence. Exercise your right to remain silent. Request counsel immediatly.

Mistake 3: Beleiving state court resolution ends the matter. Federal prosecutors can bring charges based on the same conduct. Double jeopardy dosent apply between state and federal prosecutions.

Mistake 4: Underestimating pretrial detention. 68% of defendants in the Northern District are held without bond. Plan for months of detention before your case resolves.

Mistake 5: Not understanding your actual criminal history. Many defendants dont realize which prior convictions count as ACCA predicates. Know your record before carrying a firearm.

The Sentencing Guidelines Calculation

Heres how the court actualy calculates your federal gun sentence.

Federal sentencing guidelines use a point system. For 922(g) violations, the base offense level ranges from 12 to 26 points depending on the number and type of prior convictions. This translates to guideline ranges from 10 months to 78 months before any enhancements.

But the guidelines are just the starting point. Specific offense characteristics add points:

• Stolen firearm: add 2 levels
• Altered or obliterated serial number: add 4 levels
• Semiautomatic firearm capable of accepting large capacity magazine: add 2 levels
• Prior felony involving firearms: add 2-4 levels depending on circumstances
• Connection to another felony offense: potential cross-reference to more serious guideline

The calculation compounds. A defendant with two prior felony convictions who possesses a stolen firearm with an obliterated serial number starts at offense level 22 or higher. With Criminal History Category III, thats a guideline range of 51-63 months before the court considers departure grounds.

And heres what the statistics show. In fiscal year 2024, 97.7% of 922(g) defendants were sentenced to prison. Not probation. Not home confinement. Prison. Judges in the Northern District rarely depart downward from guidelines in gun cases – and when they do, the departure is measured in months, not years.

The No Parole Federal Reality

Heres what distinguishes federal gun sentences from state sentences beyond just length.

Theres no parole in the federal prison system. Whatever sentence you recieve, your serving at least 85% of it. The only reduction comes from “good time” credit – a maximum of 54 days per year off your sentence. Thats it.

A 71-month federal sentence means aproximately 60 months of actual incarceration – five years. A 120-month sentence means aproximately 102 months – 8.5 years. The 15-year ACCA mandatory minimum means aproximately 12.75 years of actual time.

Compare this to Illinois state sentencing. A defendant sentenced to 6 years in Illinois state prison might serve 3 years with good behavior and earn early release. A defendant sentenced to 6 years in federal prison serves 5+ years minimum.

This is why the federal-state calculation matters so much. The same conduct that might result in 2 years actual time in state prison becomes 5+ years actual time in federal prison. And unlike state court were judges have broad discretion, federal judges are constrained by mandatory minimums and guidelines that leave little room for leniency.

The First Step Act of 2018 created some opportunities for sentence reduction, but these apply primarily to non-violent offenders. Gun cases – especialy gun cases with prior felony histories – rarely qualify for First Step Act relief. If your convicted of 922(g) with criminal history, your serving the sentence.

The Questions You Should Be Asking

“Will I get probation” is the wrong question if your case goes federal.

The right questions are:

• Am I a prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)?
• Do I have three or more convictions that trigger ACCA?
• Has my case been referred to CGIC for federal review?
• Is there NIBIN evidence linking my gun to other crimes?
• What is my realistic sentencing exposure under federal guidelines?

These questions lead to realistic exposure assessment. The “I’ll get probation like last time” perspective ignores how federal gun prosecution actualy works in Chicago – were 292% more cases are going federal then last year, were CGIC processes every case daily, and were 71 months is the average sentence.

292% surge in PSN indictments. 71 months average federal sentence. 15-year mandatory minimum under ACCA. 68% detained pretrial with no bond. 6.8 months average waiting for sentencing. 90%+ conviction rate. Only 3% go to trial. CGIC processing every gun case daily. NIBIN connecting shell casings across crime scenes. Project Safe Neighborhoods expanded to CTA trains and downtown – first time anywhere in America. Machine gun conversion device seizures up 646% since 2020. This is federal gun prosecution in Chicago under the current enforcement wave – were the district that used to decline cases is now leading the surge, were every gun case gets federal review, and were six years is the starting point for sentencing. Thats the reality facing anyone charged with federal firearms offenses in the Northern District of Illinois.