Man sentenced on gun charges

 Posted on January 20, 2013 in Uncategorized

A man from Fairfield, IL has recently been sentenced to a year in prison after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment charging Michael D. McCullough, 58, was returned by a Federal Grand Jury on May 8. The indictment charged McCullough with possessing two firearms, a Smith & Wesson .357 caliber revolver and a Freedom Arms .22 caliber revolver.

The evidence that was introduced in court to support the guilty plea and sentence revealed that the guns were found after a fire broke out in McCullough’s unoccupied residence in Fairfield on August 28, 2011.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that police were notified by fire fighters that, upon entering the residence to fight the fire in the room, they found five marijuana plants growing in an indoor grow operation in McCullough’s bathroom. After receiving the information, the Fairfield Police Department secured a search warrant for McCullough’s residence through the Wayne County State’s Attorney’s office. Shortly after receiving the warrant, the police located and seized the marijuana plants along with the two illegal firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition, taken from McCullough’s bedroom.

McCullough was convicted in the Wayne County Circuit Court for two felonies. On October 4, 2012, McCullough pled guilty to the indictment.

Along with the term of imprisonment for McCullough, he was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $100 special assessment to the United States, along with being placed on a two-year term of supervised release following his incarceration.

This case was investigated by the Carmi Office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Fairfield Police Department, along with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

If you have found yourself in criminal trouble contact the Law Offices of Hal M. Garfinkel LLC, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney. These experienced Chicago criminal attorneys can help you with your criminal case today.