Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on February 22, 2023, against Aaron Jackson, 30, of Springfield, Ill. for knowingly possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Sentencing for Jackson is scheduled for June 21, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield.

Over two days of testimony in front of United States District Judge Sara Darrow, the government presented evidence establishing that Jackson had previously been convicted of two felonies when he was stopped for traffic offenses on August 18, 2021, and was found to be in possession of a firearm. Officers from the Springfield Police Department located a loaded Ruger LCP 380 in the front seat of the car Jackson was driving. Jackson was the only occupant of the car and was also in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine.

Jackson remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. At sentencing, Jackson will face statutory penalties of up to ten years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

The case investigation was conducted by the Springfield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sierra Senor-Moore and Tanner Jacobs represented the government at trial.

The case against Jackson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.