Two Rockford Men Sentenced for Stealing Firearms From Firearms Dealers
ROCKFORD —A Rockford man was sentenced today in federal court before U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to a total of 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on firearms charges. KYLAND WILLIS, 21, who was charged in two separate cases, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2019 to conspiracy to steal firearms from a licensed firearms dealer and two counts of stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer.
According to the written plea agreement, on Dec. 15, 2017, Willis broke into the store of a firearms licensee in Loves Park, Ill., and stole approximately 11 firearms. On Dec. 27, 2017, Willis and another individual broke into the store of the same firearms licensee again and stole an additional 13 firearms. Willis and the other individual also attempted to break into the store of a second firearms licensee in Loves Park, Ill. on Dec. 26, 2017.
On Jan. 3, 2018, Willis, co-defendant MARTAEVIEN Q. STEVENSON, 21, also of Rockford, and a third individual broke into the store of a firearms licensee in Belvidere, Ill., and stole 30 firearms. Stevenson admitted to attempting to break into the firearms licensee store a second time on Jan. 8, 2019. Willis, Stevenson, and other individuals also attempted to break into the firearms licensee’s store a third time on Jan. 10, 2018.
Stevenson pleaded guilty on May 24, 2019 to conspiracy to steal firearms from a licensed firearms dealer and stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer. Stevenson was sentenced on Sept. 13, 2019 to 57 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The sentencings were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The investigations were conducted by ATF, the Loves Park Police Department, the Belvidere Police Department, and the Rockford Police Department. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigations.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Talia Bucci.
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